Secret
by kfb28
Summary: Sequel to Three Wishes. Heracles and Aegus lead a tough life, without the help of lies and stories told to protect them. Growing up in court is hard enough without having to guess whether or not your only father figure wants you dead.New chapter up :
1. The Price of Safety

Roxana rubbed her throbbing temples, asking herself why she was drinking with Ptolemy and Cassander. Well, actually she didknow why she was drinking with them. They were in her chamber, and they were drinking because Ptolemy and Cassander's wives were both pregnant and the seers predicted sons. Ptolemy was telling Roxana the story of how Cassander had tried to get him to propose to Thessa for him because he was interested in a servant girl. Roxana felt a little sorry for her sister in-law Thessa, but the story was pretty funny. Cassander eventually rolled his eyes and said:

"Please, we all know my chivalry and charm were dead and buried long ago."

"With your morals." Ptolemy quipped. Roxana rolled her eyes at both men.

"Please, he never had any to begin with." She said. Ptolemy started laughing and nodding his head, and Cassander gave her a funny look.. She stuck her tongue playfully out at him. He smirked, and returned his attention to Ptolemy.

"So Ptolemy, do you think Roxana is prettier when you're drunk?" Cassander joked. Roxana wasn't really amused, but played along with the joke. Cassander wasn't very funny.

"Cassander, EVERYONE is prettier when I am drunk! Like that plant over there!" Ptolemy said, pointing at a green dress that Roxana's maids had forgotten to put away. Cassander and Roxana sniggered at their friend. Then Cassander leaned in, across from Roxana, giving her a burning look.

"I never found you pretty." He said, though his gaze was sending the opposite message.

"Well, I never found you handsome. I don't think it is a coincidence." She countered, giving him a warning look. He shrugged his shoulders indifferently.

"I am just saying." He replied coolly. They stared at each other, daring the other to move first, when Ptolemy fell off his seat. They looked at him as he lay on the floor, laughing is ass off.

"I think you have had a little to much, Buddy." Cassander said, motioning for a servant to take Ptolemy back to his rooms. When Ptolemy left, Cassander sat on the couch looking at Roxana in the way one would like a t a horse in the market.

"You haven't said anything to me after Aegus's birth." Cassander murmured. She looked at him uncomfortably for one second, then looked away.

"We were never good friends before then." She replied quietly, still looking in the other direction.

"It has been seven months Roxana. Six since Bagoas…." Cassander trailed off, both uncomfortable.

"You did what you thought was best." She said, though it was clear she did not like Cassander's decision on that front.

"Well, if your treatment of me proves otherwise, you haven't forgiven me." Cassander said quietly, wondering why he felt he had to prove himself to Alexander's widow all of the sudden.

"I have forgiven you Cassander. Aegus is alive, I am alive, Heracles is alive… Cassander, that is your job as regent. To keep us alive and healthy until Aegus turns eighteen and can ascend the throne." Roxana said, trying to comfort her rival.. Cassander looked her in the eye.

"What can you give me in return Roxana? For keeping your sons alive." Cassander said, wondering if he hated her, or loved her more then ever.

"Whatever price you name." She said, trying to sound nonchalant although she felt trapped in her quarters with no one around.

"What if I don't want material items? What if I want you?" He asked with a burning look in his eyes. She had seen that look in many men before. It was the look they had when they wanted something. Cassander did not love her, he wanted her. And he was doing a good job at manipulating her into giving him his way. Cassander went to sit beside her on the bed, putting his lips next to her ear.

"What if I am as evil as the rumors say I am?" He mockingly asked, taunting her into a fight.

"If you were, why would you keep me alive? Why would you give me a choice in the matter at all? You are a man, I am a woman. You could take me now, but where is the fun in that? Or maybe, you are not as bad as you make yourself out to be. Maybe you are just lost? I think it is a little bit of both. You love the challenge but you don't want to be seen as an evil man." Roxana said, turning to face him. She twirled one of his stray hairs around her finger, looking at him.

"I think you would do anything for your sons." He said, inching his face closer to hers. He pressed his mouth to hers, waiting for her to push him away in anger. But she didn't. Partly because she was physically attracted to him, as he was to her (Though they would never say that to the other). Also because she really would do anything for her sons. And if this is the price she had to pay to keep them safe, then she would pay it.

She wrapped her arms around him as their kissing became more intense. Like they needed each other to breathe. Like they were two puzzle pieces that fit perfectly together. And all because Cassander was being his good old manipulative, the boy your mother warned you about, son of a bitch self that we all love to hate.


	2. What He Should NOT Have Seen

Heracles was seventeen years old. He had his father's blond hair and honest eyes. His skin was ruddier, and he was slightly taller. His shoulders were broadening and his voice deepening. He remembered one night in particular on the eve of his fifteenth year. It was a very traumatic one to him, and was the first time that he saw Cassander act like a monster.

"Aegus! Antipater! Ptolemy Junior! Where are you?" He called out down the long hallway. He was playing hide and seek with his six years old brother Alexander IV Aegus, Antipater, his five years old cousin and Ptolemy II, the five year old son of Ptolemy and his wife Berenice. Although the three boys were years younger then him, he found them to be good companions, and they thought of him as a good role model, which he was. His tutors at at? Mieza and Aristotle all seemed to agree that Heracles was an excellent student and soldier prospect. He was smart and diplomatic with a charismatic demeanor. His mother Roxana considered him to be one of the finest young men in the world and there was little to prove her wrong. He was chivalrous and well mannered with an impeccable taste for wine. He was the boy every mother wished would court her daughter.

He was also the boy put in charge of the three young boys Aegus, Antipater and Ptolemy Jr. – who he all found to be agreeable. It was a chilly winter evening, and he had heard them scamper off into one of the rooms in this hallway. All he had to do was look in each room and find them.

He walked up the hall and heard a noise behind the door to his left. He smiled. He loved those three little boys, but they were not the stealthiest bunch. He pushed the door open, and looked inside, expecting to see the three boys behind a chair or under the table.

Instead he saw a man and a woman kissing on a bed, who were fully man had shoulder length brown hair and the woman had long almost black hair fell down to her waist. The man's skin was much lighter then the woman's olive tone. Their dress suggested high rank, but he had not seen a couple like them at the court recently, and now that he thought of it, the dress on the woman was very familiar…. And then he accidently knocked over a vase. It crashed to the floor, and the man and woman froze. They turned around, and Heracles's stomach twisted the way it always did when he knew something he wished he didn't.

Cassander and Roxana gave him a shocked look. The three people blinked at each other for a few moments, when Cassander stood up. He went out the door, and motioned for Heracles to follow him.

Cassander led him down the hall, and into a random room. Aegus and Antipater and Ptolemy Jr. popped out from behind the couch.

"ROAR!" They bellowed. Cassander rolled his eyes.

"You three should be in bed. It is late." Cassander said.

"But father!" Antipater began to whine but Cassander gave him a sharp look and the boy grumbled about the injustices of life before he and his friends left the two people alone. Heracles wondered why Cassander wanted to talk to him alone.

"How are you tonight young Heracles?" Cassander asked, sitting down on a chair, gesturing for him to sit on the chair in front of him. Heracles sat down obediently.

"I am fine." Heracles said, unsure of himself. Cassander gave him a piercing look before continuing, as if evaluating if he had given the correct answer.

"Will you and mother marry?" Heracles asked. Cassander didn't do anything for a few seconds.

"Barsine?" Cassander said, in shock. Heracles was confused. Who the hell was Barsine? His mother was Roxana.

"Who is Barsine? I meant Roxana." Heracles said. Cassander muttered under his breath. But he decided that he might as well be the one to tell Heracles the truth.

"You know who your father is, of course?" Cassander stated, to which Heracles nodded head. Cassander paused, then continued.

"Barsine was a woman from the Macedonian court when we were young men. Your father liked her and took her as a consort. They had a stable relationship for a few years and she did not seem to mind Hephaestion too much. She became pregnant and bore a son. We all expected Alexander to marry Barsine, but we were traveling through Bactria at the time. And a nobleman let us stay at his palace one night and he through threw a magnificent feast, complete with female dancers. Alexander took to the lusty stare of the nobleman's daughter, who was the main dancer. Her name is Roxana." Cassander paused after saying this, gauging the boy's reaction. Heracles looked slightly shaken, but nodded his head for Cassander to continue.

"Alexander took Roxana as his wife, and as a result, Barsine took her three year old son back to Macedonia with her. Four years later, Alexander died and Roxana bore a son an hour after his death. This boy's name is Aegus and he is the only child from their union. Of course, Aegus was in grave danger from many people…. But one stood out. You see. Alexander had a eunuch who he had inherited from Darius when he ascended the Persian throne. Of course he did use this eunuch for a consort, and this eunuch resented him and the whole court for many reasons. He had fallen in love with another servant and had asked Alexander to release him, I suppose. Alexander's possessive traits kicked in and he refused and shortly after the servant left the eunuch for another person. We had always assumed that was the reason that Bagoas hated Alexander so much. Because Bagoas did not love Alexander, though he was in his bed, that was his job, not his heart, and foolish Alexander felt differently."

"Meanwhile, we sent for Barsine and you, her son, to come to Babylon with the intention to kill you both to protect Aegus's throne. One night, Barsine and Roxana met for a chat. Roxana came out of there demanding we leave you alive. We reluctantly agreed at first because we figured that was Barsine's final wish, to see her child protected by Roxana and Olympias to be brought up with the education of a prince. However, an attempt was made at Aegus' life a day later. That was the day Bagoas lost his life, and the day we decided to keep you around for the long term, for insurance reasons." Cassander said. Heracles felt like someone had taken his world and turned it upside down. He had always thought that Roxana was his mother. She loved him like a son, making sure he was safe and in good health. She had tucked him into bed when he was younger. When he had 'The Dream', she let him come and sleep in her bedchamber. She was like a real mother in every way except the one that mattered, by blood.

"You didn't answer my original question though. Will you marry Roxana?" Heracles asked him. Cassander laughed at that.

"Can a king not take a consort?" He asked.

"If you were the true king." Heracles said. Cassander gave him an annoyed look.

"Boy, you are lucky that I am not punishing you for your insolence. Go to your chamber, you must be very tired." And with that Cassander sent Heracles off.

Heracles was very confused about all of this. Why had they killed his mother like that? Why had Roxana let him? And why did he have a feeling that he knew Bagoas? But that was impossible; Bagoas had been executed as a traitor when Heracles was only seven. He couldn't remember that far back.

As he walked around, deep in thought, he bumped into a servant girl moving the opposite way.

"Sorry Miss, I did not see you coming!" Heracles said, blushing for his clumsiness. The girl looked down, and tucked a strand of shiny copper hair behind her ear.

"I am so sorry, Sire." She said, picking up the rags she had been carrying back to the kitchens.

"Call me Heracles." He said, making her blush, "What is your name?"

"Does my name matter?" She asked, "And it is not very traditional. My mom chose it so that even the most drunken man could say it with ease." The girl said, looking down. Heracles caught himself staring at her ivory skin that was dotted with freckles.

"Well, I would like to know it." He said with another charming smile. She smiled back.

"I am Elsie. I live here in the palace with my six years old cousin Lena and my adoptive father Balaos. I am a servant." She said, smiling. Heracles smiled back, but was troubled by the name. A voice in his head said 'Baloas is awful close to Bagoas.". But he shook the thought from his head and smiled.

He thought Elsie to be quite pretty. She had deep brown eyes and ivory skin with freckles across the bridge of her nose. She wasn't really fat or thin, but just right for him. She was on the taller side too, but he was a few inches taller. She had waist length wavy copper hair.

"Would you like help?" He asked her. She smiled appreciatively.

"I am a servant, remember? This is my job." She said.

"But what if I want to help? I insist!" He said, taking some rags from her.

"Oh fine then, if you really insist." She said, as they walked off down the hall. They had a nice, quiet silence going on for a while as they walked down the hall. Heracles broke the silence halfway to the kitchens.

"Your cousin, Lena, what is she like?" He asked out of curiosity. Elsie laughed.

"She has stick straight pale blonde hair. She is pale and has tons of freckles like me. She is also very headstrong and loves her dolly that Baloas made her from some worn out chitins. What about Aegus? I hear he is headstrong as well." She said with a smile. Heracles laughed.

"Aegus likes to be himself. He is a great half brother." Heracles said bitterly.

"Half brother? I thought you were full brothers!" Elsie exclaimed. Heracles looked down at the ground. She gave him a sympathetic look. "We can talk about it, if you like." She said," "I don't have many friends. So many servants are old! So I don't really have many secrets to share with you." She said. He smiled.

"I think I want to get to know you a little better before I share this one. But what is your secret?" He asked. She paused, and then started running to the kitchen.

"I will tell you if we run to the kitchens together." She said, as she grabbed his free hand and pulled him along.

They both stopped when they reached the kitchen, laughing very hard and leaning against walls for support.

"So what is your secret?" He asked, out of breath. She laughed.

"You will think it is silly." She said from beside him.

"No I won't."

"You don't even know it."

"Well, I won't laugh."

"Fine. So, I sometimes go to the Mieza training grounds. I have kind of always wanted to be a soldier, it looks kind of fun." She said, as Heracles started laughing.

"I told you it was going to make you laugh!" She said. Heracles stopped chuckling.

"I could show you some moves." He offered. She nodded her head in agreement to his offer.

"Okay, so stand facing me, and try and push me to this wall here. Because if you have physical control over where your opponent moves, you can make him go wherever you want." He said, as she nodded her head, "Would you like me to demonstrate on you?"

"Sure, if you want." She said. He pushed her against the wall as gently as he could, trying to look serious.

"You should have fought back." He said.

"Because a girl is going to beat a trained soldier." She said sarcastically," "Besides, I might surprise you."

She moved under his arm, and turned him around, pushing his back against the wall.

"As I have said, I have watched this drill before." She said with a smile. He smiled back, noticing now how close their bodies were. He grazed his fingers across her stomach, and leaned in. She smiled, and was probably about to say another witty joke when he pressed his mouth to hers gently. He pulled back, and she looked at him.

"And here I was thinking Heracles was the honorable one in the royal family." Before she pressed her mouth back to his with intensity. Heracles responded, complying to whatever she wanted. She wrapped her arms around his neck and ran her hands through his dirty blond hair. He wrapped his arms around her waist, wishing that this moment could last forever. They stopped for air, when Elsie realized the time.

"Oh Gods, it is late. Heracles, can we continue some other time? " She said, now picking up the dropped rags, and opening the door to the kitchens. He knew the servant's quarters were attached, so she would not need an escort.

"I will meet you here tomorrow after dinner." He said with a smile. She nodded and rushed into the kitchens and back to her surely anxious father.

Heracles had almost forgotten what Cassander had told him that night.


	3. Nothing in Common

eracles sat across from Cassander, his mother pacing beside the table where they sat. Heracles looked at them both, and broke the uncomfortable silence that had enveloped them since Cassander's servant had fetched him after he returned from his training at Mieza.

"So, what is this meeting about?" Heracles asked, thinking about how he was going to see Elsie after dinner.

"You are seventeen years of age." Cassander said slowly, as if Heracles needed reminding.

"Yes, Captain Obvious, since July of this year." Heracles said, as a chilly autumn wind came through the window.

"My point is that you are an eligible bachelor, arguably one of the finest, and you do not seem to have taken a consort, man or woman." Cassander remarked in his signature-bored tone. Roxana flashed him a look of annoyance.

"Only a king should take a consort." Heracles said through his teeth, and Cassander gave him a dirty look back. Roxana decided to intervene.

"You are seventeen years old, and you are telling us there is no one at all?" Roxana asked, bewildered.

The truth was, Elsie was that someone, but she was a servant, and therefore they could not marry. He had been seeing her in secret for three years, and had no intention of stopping. He wanted to marry her, but he knew that his mother and Cassander would never accept it. To him, their affair showed that they knew nothing of love. It was a deal they had, and he was sure that if Roxana had loved Alexander to even a tenth of how Olympias had loved Alexander, she would be crying in her chamber over his death ten years ago.

"That is right," he said. "Is it so surprising that I can control my urges?" He took a sip of wine.

"Yes. At age seventeen, I was looking for a girl every chance I got." Cassander said with a chuckle. Roxana and Heracles gave him unappreciative looks and he stopped.

"But it was very inappropriate and careless of me, and I admire your self control." Cassander said in a serious voice, to which Roxana raised an eyebrow.

"But anyway, you need to take a wife now when you are young and fertile. Then you can get her pregnant and if you die in battle ,you have children left to carry your lineage." Roxana said in a business-like tone. Heracles rolled his eyes.

"You mean Alexander's line." He said.

"More or less." Cassander replied to the youth.

"I don't want to marry." Heracles said defiantly. Cassander's eye twitched impatiently and a purple vein in his forehead started to throb.

"I didn't ask you if you WANT to take a wife. I told you that you NEED to take a wife. At least it will be easier for you then your father, you don't seem to be in love with some annoying Athenian male whelp or some barbaric wench." Cassander said. Roxana smacked him upside his head in anger.

"Ouch! What was that for?" Cassander asked, rubbing the side of his head.

"Being you." She said in a flat tone, to which Cassander smirked at. It sickened Heracles to his core.

"Listen, unless you are planning on MAKING me marry right this second, I have places to be right now. Good-bye Mother, I hope you had a lovely day talking to Cassander's wife and your sister in-law, Thessa. Cassander, I hope you had a wonderful day drowning kittens and making your Generals cry. You will not see me at dinner tonight." Heracles said, pushing back his chair and storming out. Cassander and Roxana stared at each other.

"Does he know?" She asked. Cassander nodded his head, not trusting that he wouldn't say something offensive.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Heracles decided he did not want to wait until after dinner to see Elsie. He wanted to see her now and tell her of the talk he had with Cassander and Roxana today. He wandered over to the kitchens, where he saw Lena, who was now ten years old, just outside the door playing with her dolly. She looked up and saw him, smiling at him.

"Lena! Could you get Elsie for me?" Heracles asked, ruffling the little girl's hair.

"Not right now, she and Balo are having a fight." Lena replied, combing her dolly's hair with her fingers. Heracles sighed. He knew that as a female, Elsie had much more pressure to marry then he did. Elsie had brought up the topic of marriage, and that his mother might be sympathetic enough to allow their union. Heracles usually laughed it off, which resulted in frustration and tears for both of them. Heracles wanted to tell Roxana, but how could he? She was a consort to Cassander and so far, Cassander seemed to do anything that would increase his misery by the tenfold since he saw them four or three years ago.

Lena looked up at the youth, who sat down beside her. She knew why he always came calling for Elsie of course. They did not think she was aware, but she heard the gossip. She also knew that part of the fight that Baloas and Elsie were in had to do with rumors about them. Baloas mistrusted the royal family at the best of times, but seem to be absolutely paranoid when it came to Alexander and Roxana's sons Heracles and Aegus. He called them all sorts of nasty named, and simply hated them in general.

Both persons then heard a loud yell, and then Elsie walked out of the kitchen hurriedly, slamming the door behind her. She saw Heracles, and grabbed his hand, pulling him with her as he struggled to stand. Once he got up to follow her, she lead him down the hall to a secret room they were both aware of. She turned to face him, and only then did the tears on her face become apparent to him. He hugged her immediately, hoping to comfort her.

"What happened?" He asked, dreading what he was about to hear.

"There is a rumor about us. Father was angry." Elsie said, trying to cover up the memory.

"What did he say, exactly?" Heracles asked.

"He said that there is no honor in being a consort and that you will find someone you think is prettier and I should get married and leave this place as soon as possible." Elsie said brushing her tears off with the back of his hand.

"We both know that I would never do that to you. And coincidently, Cassander and mother harassed me about marriage today as well. I fear they may ignore my wishes and marry me off anyway." He said with an edge of despair in his tone.

"I love you." Elsie said, crying.

"I love you too." He said, feeling the tears stinging his eyes.

"WHY IS EVERYONE IN A SERIOUS RELATIONSHIP THESE DAYS?" Cassander said, clearly yelling from the room beside them. Elsie and Heracles started laughing at the irony and Heracles went to lock the door.

Elsie sat on the bed, a pensive look on her face. Heracles looked back with a smile.

"Should I be worried that you are thinking about something?" He said, walking back to her. She pulled him down onto the bed besides her smiling.

"Take me now." She whispered, and his eyes widened.

"Here? Now?" He asked, not believing that she had actually just said what he thought she said.

"Why not? Our parents could marry us off any day now, we are young and in love, and I always knew you wanted to." She said, smiling impishly. Heracles rolled his eyes.

"But I am a boy and that is what we are. I love you too, but are you sure? If you get pregnant without the safety of marriage you will be looked down upon." Heracles said, looking down at his feet.

"I want you to be my first and unlikely only one." She said, kissing him. He had no justifiable argument against that.

He felt her kisses growing stronger as he went to get rid of these annoying things called 'clothes'. He had wanted this moment for a long time, and although now he was unsure if she was in it for the right reasons or if they should even be doing this, he couldn't bring himself to stop. He never wanted this moment to end. Everything seemed to blur in front of him, and he did not bother to think anymore.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Heracles was in a dark room, and could not sleep for some strange reason. He was lying in bed and there was a crib beside him. He then saw a dark figure seemingly come from the shadows. He saw the figure holding a knife, and reaching into the crib, and drawing the knife across the baby's chest.

Heracles started screaming "Aegus", realizing his brother was the baby. Ptolemy and Cassander rushed in with guards, Roxana storming in, rushing to her sons. Hugging Heracles tightly, she was crying as a doctor looked over the baby. Cassander and Ptolemy gave the shadow man an angry glare with Ptolemy finally speaking to him.

" Bagoas how dare you?"

--

Heracles woke up panting, Elsie hugging him and asking him repeatedly what was going on.

"Are you alright? You didn't wake up!" Elsie said, running her fingers through his shaggy hair trying to relax him.

"Just a bad dream." He said, unable to tell her the truth.

"What was it about?" She asked.

"Aegus was hurt in a battle and he died. That is all." Heracles lied, slowing down his breathing.

"Okay. Go back to sleep. Everything is alright." Elsie whispered in a tired voice. He nodded his head as she lay down. He looked back and put an arm over her, before lying down beside her, hoping sleep would find him soon.

0o0o0o0oo0o0o0o

Heracles woke before Elsie. He got up and stretched his arms before reaching for his chitin from yesterday. She woke up too, but remained in bed.

"You should go back to sleep." He said gently as he pulled his chitin around him, looking for a pin to fasten it.

"Why are you leaving so early?" She asked in a tired voice.

"I have to go hunting with Aegus, Antipater and Ptolemy Junior, and they are very impatient." He said as Elsie groaned.

"Can't you stay with me?" She asked hopefully as Heracles looked at her longingly. He would have been able to stay, if he had forgotten his promise. He shook his head as he fastened his chitin. He went back to the bed, leaning over Elsie.

"Last night was probably the best night of my life. I love you, and only you Els." He said, kissing her. They broke apart when they heard the bolt snap and the door swing open to an angry looking man. Elsie swore under her breath, and Heracles evaluated the man.

He was a scrawny looking Persian man, with black eyes and raven hair. He had a beak like nose and short hair. Heracles knew he had seen this man's face before, he just could not remember where.

"Elsie! What have you done with Heracles?" The man bellowed from the door.

"Who are you?" Heracles asked out of his confusion.

"Bagoas, Elsie's father!" The man yelled. Heracles stepped back as his dream flashed before his eyes. Bagoas tried to kill Aegus. Bagoas was supposed to be dead.

Heracles looked from Elsie to Bagoas, confusion filling is brain. Cassander said Bagoas was dead. Heracles ran from the room, past Bagoas. He needed answers, and he needed them now.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Heracles barged into Cassander's chamber and opened the curtains, letting the sun shine right into Cassander's eyes. Cassander swore loudly, and opened his eyes.

"What are you doing here?" He sneered at the youth.

"Is Bagoas still alive?" Heracles asked impatiently.

"I figured executing him would be utterly pointless and so I have forced him to work here in this castle so I can keep an eye on him. Are we finished?" Cassander asked, covering his eyes with his arm.

"No we are not! Why did you lie?" Heracles demanded. Cassander groaned, thinking this kid asked way to many questions way to early in the morning for his liking.

"Because I thought I would do you a favor and protect you. You were there when it happened and your mother was telling me you were still having nightmares. In fact, I bet you still have nightmares. Now, in the names of the Gods above, please leave so I can get my beauty sleep." Cassander said, pulling a blanket over his face. Heracles pulled it back impatiently two seconds later.

"What do you want now? And why do you even care? I know Bagoas has a very attractive daughter, but you are so called "Mr. Self-control". Unless you love her! HAHAHAHAHA… Oh. You do have a relationship with a servant girl whose father blames everything on your father and tried to kill your little half brother when he was one month old. This does make things awkward." Cassander said, rubbing his eyes. Heracles was surprised that Cassander could connect the dots so early in the morning.

"Yes, it is." Heracles replied as Cassander snorted with amusement.

"It's okay. Just dump the girl and find someone more attractive." Cassander said, rolling over and pulling the blanket back over his head. Heracles pulled the blanket back once again.

"For the love of your father, will you stop doing that?!" Cassander asked in frustration. He did not like waking up before noon on a regular day, least of all after eating lavish dinner and sleeping with his wife and then his consort.

"But I love her!" Heracles whined. Cassander rolled his eyes.

"You know what, you father loved Hephaestion too. And even the great king had to learn to love his wife more." Cassander spat.

" I am not married yet." Heracles said through gritted teeth.

"If you do not shut up and go hunting, you will be getting married this evening. And we both know that Bagoas is going to tell you to stay away from his adopted daughter, you half-wit. Now, leave me alone so I can rest." Cassander said, pulling the blanket back over his head, "You and that girl have nothing in common. Forget about her. "

Heracles sighed and left Cassander to sleep. He left the room, wondering what he should do. He loved Elsie, but Cassander was right. Even if he and Elsie loved each other, it was not strong enough to overcome the hatred that Bagoas had for his family and the probable hatred that Roxana had for his.

Heracles passed a bust of Alexander. It was all his fault. If Alexander had just given Bagoas his way, then Heracles and Elsie could be together, Aegus would not have a long, wavy scar across his chest and stomach, and maybe Roxana would not be sleeping with Cassander. Heracles looked at the bust, and checked the hall to make sure that no one was coming. Then he pushed the bust over and watched it shatter into a million tiny pieces. Like the millions of tiny pieces that his father had left behind.

'That was for mom, Roxana, Aegus, Elsie, Bagoas and I.' Heracles thought as he tore down the hall at a run, anxious to leave the scene and his anger behind him.


	4. Reminder

Aegus sat on his pony dejectedly, wondering where Heracles was. Heracles had promised to take him out for a ride, and so far, his older brother had not shown up. Aegus hung his head, wishing he knew what was with his brother these days. Lately, Heracles was always sneaking off on some adventure, and he was not bringing Aegus. Aegus rubbed his pony's neck thoughtfully. What could Heracles be doing without him? Whatever it was Aegus did not like it, because his older brother wasn't paying any attention to him at all. It wasn't fair.

Aegus looked around the courtyard, hoping to see someone who would play with him, or go on a ride with him. He turned his shaggy pony around, trying to look around. He saw soldiers telling crude jokes, servants cleaning and grooms taking sweaty horses back to the stables. Aegus then saw Cassander and Ptolemy sitting on top of their huge warhorses, Atlas and Thor. Giddily, the boy thought he had found some new playmates. He squeezed his pony into a canter, and nearly ran over an old man before getting to the two men, who were chatting.

"Cassander! Ptolemy!" Aegus shouted, as his pony pawed the ground. The two men stopped talking and looked at him. Ptolemy smiled at the boy while Cassander gave him a look of annoyance.

"Can we go on a ride?" the boy asked excitedly, nearly bouncing on his pony's back with excitement.

"Well if you stopped beating Aetos' kidneys, we might be able to work something out," Ptolemy smiled. He thought the little boy was a breath of fresh air compared to his older brother, who had grown up to be a little too much like Cassander in personality these days.

"Can't we go now?" the boy whined. Cassander rolled his eyes as Ptolemy chuckled.

"Your father always did that when we were boys. He was impatient if we kept him waiting. Even Hephaestion could not train that out of him," Cassander chuckled, finding it easier to be nice to Aegus then his mother or half-brother.

"Then let's go! We can pretend we are trekking to India!" Aegus said with delight, "I want to see the whole empire when I am king!"

"You will, but first you need to grow a few feet taller," Ptolemy quipped.

"And be older than your ten years," Cassander added. Aegus pouted.

"Mommy said that it was beautiful," Aegus said. Cassander rolled his eyes.

"Your mother thinks anything that isn't named Cassander is beautiful," Cassander muttered under his breath.

"I want to be like Achilles. Mommy even let me have father's Iliad, saying she couldn't stomach it, and that I would enjoy it," Aegus said with pride.

Ptolemy and Cassander were slightly troubled by that last comment. It was common knowledge that none of the generals or Roxana could read the Iliad and not think about Alexander and Hephaestion and the ill-fated campaign. It was also fact that no one wanted history to repeat itself and that everyone prayed that Aegus would not have the raw ambition of his father to drag them all to the ends of the Earth. The boy's cerulean eyes shone with desire which had been hand fed by everyone when they told him stories of the campaign and his father.

"No I don't think you would want to be Achilles. I think you should want to be Aegus. He is funny, smart and a good rider," Cassander said, trying to cover up the emotions they were both feeing.

"But I could live forever," Aegus said with a smile.

"You obviously haven't gotten far in the Iliad. Achilles dies," Cassander said.

"CASSANDER! You gave it away!" Aegus whined.

"Listen, maybe you should find someone else to play with. Ptolemy and I are very busy. Antipater and Ptolemy II are with Thessa, Berenice and your mother in the garden for some reason or another. Go there if you're really bored," Cassander said, hoping to wrap this conversation up.

"I am not going there. All they will talk about is palace gossip!" Aegus whined, annoyed that it had come to that.

"Spoken like a true man," Ptolemy said. "What about that Lena girl? The servant?"

"What about her?" Aegus said bitterly.

"She can ride too," Cassander pointed out, hoping the end was near.

"But she is a GIRL, and she hates me!" Aegus moaned. Ptolemy gave him a sympathetic look.

"You really are your father's child," Ptolemy said.

"Just go play with her, I am sure she would enjoy the company. There she is, with her horse Adrastos. What a good warhorse he was back in the day," Cassander said, with a dreamy look in his eyes as if remembering some distant memory. He shook his head, returning himself back to reality.

"Why does she have a warhorse? I am the prince, and I don't even have a warhorse!" Aegus said indignantly.

"Listen, why don't you ask her yourself? We have things to do!" Cassander said impatiently, turning Thor around with his left leg and trotting off. Ptolemy gave the boy a sympathetic nod and followed Cassander at a trot. Aegus sighed, annoyed.

However, he soon stopped when he realized Cassander said Lena's horse was a warhorse. Adrastos was a big strong animal, which was a blue roan. He was a gentle stallion with a kind look in his eye and well trained. He had a simple bit and was an easy animal to handle. He was easy to spot, and Aegus cantered Aetos back across the courtyard where a groom was giving Lena a leg up on to her horse. Aegus wondered how a servant had been given a fine warhorse and she could afford to have him cared for.

"Lena!" he called out. She looked in his direction. She gave him an annoyed look.

"What do you want?" she asked him coldly.

"Would you like to go on a ride with me?" he asked, hoping she would accept. She paused for a few minutes, and then nodded her head. Aegus smiled broadly, as he turned Aetos in the direction of the exit.

"So, how have you been?" he asked her.

"I have been good. How about you?" she asked while patting her horse's neck.

"I have been good too. So, how did you get such a nice horse?" Aegus asked. Lena sighed bitterly.

"Everyone asks that," she said, rubbing a scar on her horse's shoulder.

"I heard he is a fine warhorse. I know he has the best manners in the stable," he said, curious about her horse and why he seemed to be connected to such a found memory of Cassander's.

"He was my father's. He was a soldier and was crippled in Guagemala. He trained his horse the best. Even now, Adrastos is fit enough for a little adventure," Lena said with a smile.

"Isn't your father Baloas?" Aegus asked, confused.

"He is my adoptive father. My actual father.. died," she said, uncomfortable with the subject change.

"Your father must have had good money. My father's horse was challenging for most at the best of times," Aegus said with a laugh. Lena smiled a bit.

"My father had a good eye for horses. Elsie has told me stories of how he could train any horse. She says he always told her of Bucephalus and that Alexander was truly the only person who should ride him," Lena said, impressing Aegus with the knowledge she had.

"My mother shares that opinion. Bucephalus was a one man horse and would have tried to kill anyone else who rode him," Aegus said. "I am sad that I was not born early enough to see my father and his horse in their prime. My mom drew a picture, but it is not the same."

"Tell me about Aetos. Where did he come from? I heard he was pretty strong willed when Cassander bought him for you," Lena said, encouraging a conversation between them. Aegus chuckled as he recalled the story.

"Aetos is stubborn. A tradesman brought him to market one day and Aetos refused to enter the ring! Then, and eagle flew overhead and Aetos trotted out, dragging the man along with him and arching his neck. It was if he was hand crafted by Poseidon. I guess Cassander thought it was a good match," Aegus said, leaning down to rub the chestnut pony's neck.

"He was right, you know," Lena said softly as she looked down at them.

"How do you know?" Aegus teased. Lena was about to answer when she saw two horses tied to a tree in front of them.

"That is Elsie's horse Taddeo!" she whispered, pointing at the big bay stallion.

"Aye, and the chestnut beside him is Heracles's horse Castor," Aegus replied in a whisper, pointing at the big stallion.

"Get over here!" she whispered, gesturing for him to follow her behind a huge shrub. He followed her, so that they could watch. They heard laughter and instantly recognized Elsie and Heracles' voices. They saw the pair come out from behind a bush, looking disheveled and untying their horses.

Then, a twig snapped, and this alarmed Aetos, who bolted out from behind the bush. Lena followed him on Adrastos. By now, Elsie and Heracles had turned around to see what had caused the noise. Heracles stopped in front of the now trotting pony. Aegus righted himself in the saddle as Heracles tried to look authoritative.

"What are you two doing out here?" he asked as he patted Aetos' neck.

"What are you two doing out here?" Aegus asked, narrowing his eyes. Heracles smirked.

"I asked first," he reminded the boy.

"We were on a ride. The one YOU were supposed to be accompanying ME on," Aegus retorted as Heracles looked guiltily at Elsie, who had untied and mounted her horse.

"You should take Lena back," he said softly to Elsie. She nodded her head, and started up the trail, gesturing for Lena to join her.

"Why did you forget, and why are you here with Elsie?" Aegus pouted, annoyed that he had not been able to spend his afternoon with his brother.

"I am sorry, but I forgot," Heracles lied as he looked at his feet. Aegus rolled his eyes.

"What about Elsie?" he asked impatiently. Heracles threw him an annoyed glare.

"None of your business." he said as he untied Castor.

"Does Cassander know?" Aegus asked. Heracles gave the boy a frightened look as he swung into the saddle.

"What? Did I say something?" the boy asked, unaware that he had said something offensive. They both played that game when they wanted the other to tell them a secret.

"Cassander does know and I swear on our grandmother's grave that if you tell him ANYTHING, and I mean ANYTHING, I will have nothing to do with you. Ever!" Heracles said menacingly as he squeezed his old horse into a trot.

"What is it? I need to know what I am protecting you from, Heracles," Aegus begged his older brother. Heracles wheeled his horse around.

"I love Elsie. We are seeing each other and Cassander told me to end it because we can never marry. She is the daughter of a soldier. A soldier she won't name!" Heracles said, venting.

"But why can't you marry? Because she is a servant?" he asked.

"That is exactly what I am saying," Heracles said, "and you better not tell ANYONE."

"Don't worry. I will only tease you about it," Aegus said with a wink. Heracles groaned and rolled his eyes.

"How about a race to see if that old horse can move?" Aegus joked as he squeezed Aetos into a gallop.

"HEY, that is cheating!" Heracles laughed as he pushed Castor into a gallop, the horse's long strides quickly catching up with Aetos' short ones. Heracles felt his frustration disappear as Castor rushed ahead of the small pony, and he turned back and laughed at his little half brother.

"Having fun losing?" he asked, sticking out his tongue.

"Will you ever let me win?" Aegus pouted.

"One day, when you can ride a horse," Heracles teased, knowing Aegus was the only one out of his friends who still rode a pony. He wasn't afraid, but he loved his trusty mount Aetos who was braver then most of the other horses. And he knew the older generals and Roxana saw Bucephalus and Alexander when Aegus and Aetos tore around the courtyard.

"At least Aetos is one of the best trained and much more noble then those mules the rest of them ride," Aegus replied, patting his pony's neck.

"That is true! Adrastos and Taddeo are much better trained then any of the other horses. The grooms enjoy dealing with those two stallions," Heracles replied, the envy in his voice obvious. He had always been jealous of those two girls, who owned two of the best horses. Those horses were bred for war, and were also gentle and easy to train.

"Aetos will always be my best friend," Aegus said with a grin as he leaned down to put his arms around his pony's thick neck in a hug.

"I still win our races, " Heracles said with a grin, as they walked their horses to the courtyard entrance. The boys laughed, and then fell into a comfortable silence.

Cassander was waiting for them in the stable, looking bothered as usual.

"Where were you?" Cassander demanded Heracles. Heracles stuttered, but Aegus came up with an excuse.

"He left, thinking I had left without him. He was just outside the forest, and Lena noticed Elsie on her horse a few yards away, so she went to join her back to the castle. Heracles and I went on a ride and galloped back to the palace," Aegus said innocently.

Cassander was suspicious, but never had known Aegus to lie to him. He narrowed his eyes, and then sighed.

"Take your horses to the stable, dinner is in an hour. Do not be late, and Heracles please grace us with your presence. Ptolemy is just DYING to catch up with you," Cassander demanded, and then left the boys.


	5. Not Alexander

Aegus was on his horse Homer, a big bay war stallion that was the product of Ari, a quick horse and Castor, a warhorse. He and his friend Ptolemy II and Antipater where riding to Mieza. They were going there for a lecture from Aristotle. Heracles was accompanying them, for he enjoyed listening to lectures.

Aegus had grown into a sixteen years old boy, almost a man. His cerulean eyes were framed by olive skin and black hair in loose curls. Everyone thought he was much more handsome then his father. Well, at least to the people who believed him to be Alexander's son. Aegus was well aware of the whispers of his legitimacy, but Roxana always maintained that he was Alexander's child.

No one was thinking about that right now, as it was a beautiful day and all the girls were out in the market. Aegus smirked when he saw a particular blonde girl on the ground.

"Hey Lena!" He shouted to her. She cast him an annoyed look. Growing up had forced their friendship apart.

"What is your problem Aegus? Can't you just leave me alone?" She shouted back, as her cousin Elsie stood beside her, shaking her head with laughter as she held their two horses.

"I don't have a problem, actually. And besides, if I left you alone your life would be far to easy and stress free for my liking." He replied as Antipater and Ptolemy II laughed. Heracles shook his head, wondering how he had wound up with THIS for a little half-brother.

Lena's face got all red and she dropped a fruit she was looking at back on to her cart. She then grabbed Adrastos from Elsie and swung herself on to his back. She gave Aegus a dirty look, and cantered back in the direction of the palace. Aegus was still laughing when he turned back to Heracles, who gave him a severe look.

"Did you really have to go and do that?" Heracles asked. He saw Lena as a little sister and did not take it lightly when men gave her problems, especially Aegus.

"Come off it Heracles. It was just a joke!" Aegus scoffed.

"Was it a joke when she got Mother, Ptolemy and Cassander involved?" Heracles asked quietly. All three teenagers looked down at their feet.

Two weeks ago, as a prank, they had taken Adrastos from the stables and hid him in the forest. They left a note saying he would not be returned unless Lena slept with all the thieves. Of course, Lena had not thought it was very funny and had gone to see Cassander about it. He recognized his own son's hand righting and called Ptolemy in, who brought Roxana with him. Eventually, someone found them and the horse and dragged them back to the palace, where Roxana beat them down verbally, while Lena cried in the corner, Elsie and Heracles on either side of her. Heracles couldn't look either of them in the eye for a week.

"It is not like we would have done anything with her." Ptolemy II said. All three of them felt terrible for hurting Lena to that extent.

"As long as you have learned your lesson." Heracles muttered gruffly, and they rode in silence.

Then, Aegus noticed a group of pretty girls. He smiled and waved at them, and they started swooning.

"Honestly, I do not know how I can be related to you sometimes." Heracles said with a smile.

"Why?" Aegus replied.

"Every time I turn around, you are waving at some girl." Heracles replied.

"First of all, it is GIRLS, "Aegus replied, emphasizing on the plural," and second of all, one of us needs to be the heart breaker of the family."

Heracles smiled and rolled his eyes.

"Come on, we better hurry up if we do not want to be late." He said.

----

Aegus looked at his teacher with loathing. He hated Aristotle's teaching. All he did was remind of things he would rather forget.

"Alexander and Roxana were married when she was fifteen and he was twenty eight. Could any of you imagine marrying a girl thirteen years your junior?" Aristotle asked.

"They loved each other." Aegus said in an annoyed tone.

"Alexander loved a MAN named Hephaestion, who I RESPECTED. Until of course he impregnated your mother with you when she was nineteen." Aristotle responded, loving it that he could insult Aegus. Aegus's head throbbed as anger pumped through his blood.

"How do you know? Where you in bed with them?" He replied starkly.

"No. Your beautiful eyes give you away. And besides, I expect more fire from Alexander's son." Aristotle said.

"I AM his son." Aegus said, standing up defiantly.

"Sit back DOWN." Aristotle said in a dangerous tone. Aegus sat back down, deciding to play his cards right for once.

" Persians, even after Aegus' dear 'father' conquered them, are still barbaric. Clearly, Alexander wasn't very good with social problems." Aristotle said.

"Well, if the dumbass who is running Persia right now was any good, it would be better. When my father was in charge, he did cause minor social reform. At least he did not stay on his ass back here and whine." Aegus said, his eyes flashing.

"But he killed dear Philotas and Cleitus!" Aristotle said with mock sorrow.

"As if you liked them anyway." Aegus replied. His companions just sat and watched the debate, wondering who would win.

"Well, I think you would. Is Alexander not who you aspire to become one day? Maybe you will stab Antipater or Ptolemy II or Heracles one day, just like dear old dad did to his friends." Aristotle said, smiling wickedly.

"At least he had the guts to meet people before he judged them, unlike you! He new who he was judging." Aegus replied, as his companions got ready in case it turned into a fistfight.

"His judgment was always wrong. You know that your dear old mother was only in it for the status, right?" Aristotle asked. Aegis stood up again

"HOW DARE YOU? She loves him! She can read and write, and she doesn't drink out of anybody's skull! Her culture is far older then our own, how can you not respect that? You, who sits there on a chair, writing stories while my parents lived them." Aegus ranted. Aristotle blinked.

"Are you finished making yourself look like Alexander?" He asked.

"I don't have to look like him. I am not Alexander I am Aegus. That is who I am." Aegus replied, still standing up.

"No, because ever since you were young, you have felt like you needed to be like him. That is all you want to be. To squash the rumors and make you mother proud. What a moron." Aristotle replied quietly. The other boys and men sat in baited breath, looking to Aegus, who turned around, heading for the exit.

"Or maybe I was wrong." Aristotle said as Aegus turned back when he reached the door.

"Maybe you really are the product of a foolish, impulsive and ignorant man and an idiot, barbaric, vulgar whore." Aristotle said.

Aegus had had it with this teacher. He ran out, and vaulted onto his horse, galloping back to the palace, wishing he could outrun his father's legacy. Why? Why did everyone hat or resent his father? Had Alexander really been that horrid? His mother did not like sharing much with him except to say that he was a man with good intentions.

It was everyone else's fault that he was like this. They made him take every lesson Alexander had taken, twice. They got him the best horses, best skills, the 'best' tutor. Why was Aegus not enough for anyone? He was perfectly content being himself. Why did they want another Alexander? Well, everyone except Aristotle. He found the idea of Aegus ruling, even more then when it was Alexander. But then, Alexander was only half barbarian. Aegus was three quarters. His blood wasn't pure enough for some and neither was his brain. So what was good enough for people? Why could they just leave him alone?

--

Aegus stormed into his mother's quarters, as she sat down with Ptolemy and Cassander talking. They all looked at him, confused.

"Aegus, why are you not with your teacher?" Roxana asked.

"I left." He said bitterly, sitting down next to his mother.

"And why? Did Aristotle explain something much to complicated for you?" Cassander sneered. Ptolemy gave him a vexed look.

"What did Aristotle say this time?" Ptolemy sighed. They never seemed to get along, those two.

"He said my father was some impulsive jerkwad idiot and that my mom was a barbarian slut sent to destroy Macedonia." Aegus said, anger rising at the memory.

"Good GODS! He of all people should know that Olympas and Phillip are your GRANDparents." Ptolemy exclaimed. Cassander rolled his eyes and Roxana bit her lower lip.

"Listen, Alexander.." She started, but Aegus interrupted her.

"Don't call me Alexander!" He said, standing up.

"Let your mother call you by your name." Cassander commented, annoyed that this boy seemed to attract so much negative attention.

"No! I AM NOT Alexander." Aegus yelled again.

"No one says you are." Roxana said, reaching out to hug him. But he pulled away, frowning at her.

"Yes. They all do. They say I will make his mistakes, that I am an awful person. They call you a whore, and that I am Hephaestion's son. That I have no right to be the prince and should pay for wrongs I did not commit." Aegus continued. Roxana gave Aegis a sympathetic look. She knew this would happen if they returned to Macedonia. Olympias only lived for a month while they were here, before she died. They would be back in Persia if it were not for the witch or Cassander and Ptolemy.

"I am just Aegus, not Alexander." Aegus said, on the brink of tears.

"Funny, Alexander could never be just Alexander." Cassander said coldly. Aegus looked at all three of them, and left the room, unable to look any of them in the eye.

"Why did you have to go and say that?" Roxana fumed. Cassander shrug his shoulders.

"Cassander, he is just a boy." Ptolemy pointed out.

"He has to learn to cope with being a prince." He said in a non-chalant voice.

"At what cost?" Roxana asked, hating all the decisions she had made up to this point in time.

--

Aegus stormed into the stable, his face red with anger. He went over to the back door, where the grooms hung out. Instead he found Elsie, cleaning her horse's bridle. She looked up to see who joined her, and gave Aegus a sympathetic look.

"Rough day?" She asked. He nodded his head and sat down beside her.

"Would you like to talk about it?" She asked, and he nodded his head.

"It seems people can't decide who I am. They either think I am too much like my father, or not enough or he is not my father at all. DAMMIT! Sometimes I think I hate Hephaestion. He died and pushed my father over the edge. If my father was still around, no one would say things to my face." Aegus confided to her. She smiled sadly.

"You would still have to grow up in his shadow. Besides, I know what it is like to hate Hephaestion." Elsie commented softly. Aegus looked at her, puzzled.

"You want to know everything there is to know about Lena and I?" She asked. He nodded his head.

"We are both the daughters of soldiers. Mine was of a higher ranking, actually, he was the oldest of his father's two sons. My mother was with my father for three years, and during the second one, she had me. She left three months later, leaving a soldier to raise a daughter. He found a wet nurse and a year later was forced to take me on campaigns with him. I had no family who he trusted to care for me. Now, this is when I think I should mention who he exactly was. His name was Philotas." She said, looking at Aegus for a reaction. He had none. He was shocked. He supposed he could see the resemblance and it would explain why Cassander was so overprotective over Lena about the prank. He was still shocked, but nodded his head for Elsie to continue.

"So, for the next four years of campaigns after my mother ditched him and I, he tried his best to raise me. He tried to always have supervision for me and made me a doll one day. He kept on hurting his hand with the knife, and trying his best not to swear. But anyway, I loved my father. All my memories are fond. But when he did not tell Alexander that one thing, he was killed as a traitor." She said, her voice breaking a bit. Aegus put his arm around her, as if that could comfort her. She continued.

"Coenus packed our possessions on a pack pony and I rode Taddeo beck to my uncle's house with him. My uncle Adastos was crippled in Guagemala and returned to Macedonia on Adrastos and started a small farm. He had a wife then, and they took me in as their daughter. Three years later, his wife Athene died giving birth to Lena. And a week later, Alexander called all three of us to Babylon. So Lena, Uncle and I packed up the farm and a few pack ponies with our things and Taddeo and Adrastos and we were off. We reached Babylon, and Alexander at this point was paranoid. Hephaestion was dead and he could trust no one else. He was looking for a conspiracy and saw one in my uncle. He thought that Philotas must have told his brother of the plot. He had him executed. Then, we were put into the care of servants. When Bagoas left that… scar on your chest, Cassander decided he had to redeem his humanity through raising Lena and I." Elsie said, "He is a good father, despite what he has done to you. He is the only father she has ever known."

"Wow. That is… awful." Aegus said. He could not lie, he was horrified at their ordeal.

"It is not that bad. We still got a good education, and we can keep Adrastos and Taddeo. Cassander sympathizes with us especially, as you learned a short time ago. He was Philotas' best friend." She said. She looked down at the ground. Aegus looked at her, thinking of the only good out of all of this.

"You know, since you are a high ranking general's daughter, you could marry Heracles." He said with a smile. She shook her head with a sad smile.

"No, I could not. I would be more accepted as a servant's daughter then share the blood of a traitor to your father." She said, with anger ," And that is why I hated Hephaestion. If he hadn't eaten a bloody bird then he would be alive and my uncle would not be dead." She said, looking at the ground. Aegus smiled.

"I see why Lena likes you. You're the optimistic one in your family." Elsie said, ruffling Aegus' hair.

"What?" He asked, confused.

"Oh COME ON Aegus they said you were smart. Lena likes you. It is so obvious in your banter with her, it makes me want to puke." Elsie said.

"She does not like me Elsie, I never took you as a wine drinker." He joked, surprised that this news left him all happy inside.

"It is so apparent that you like her as well. Your eyes light up when you see her. Heracles and I made a bet when you would start seeing each other, and you better do it sometime before you are twenty or I owe him some money." Elsie said, "She is in that old room beside the dining hall."

Aegus sat in shock. He liked Lena, obviously but he didn't think she liked him at all. In fact, he was sure that she hated him. Very sure. He thought of letting her know, but he figured she would laugh in his face. But apparently you can never know.

"Thanks Elsie." He said, getting up in a hurry, light hearted after their talk. Hearing her story reminded how things could be much more worse for him and his family. After all, Cassander could have been his step dad.

---

Aegus saw Lena reading on the bed in the room. She was all concentrated on her scroll and did not even look up when he entered.

"Lena?" He asked. She looked up, and wrinkled her nose slightly.

"Aegus." She said, gesturing for him to sit beside her.

"I am sorry. And Elsie told me." He added.

"What?" She asked in a whisper.

"Everything." He whispered, leaning in, "And I want you to know that right now I mean absolutely every single thing that I am about to tell you."

She nodded her head, and he did not need to say anything.

"Do you really mean this?" She asked, leaning in closer to him.

"Yes." He whispered, closing his eyes before the plunge.

Images of Lena and him seemed to flash behind his eyelids as hands met skin, lips touched and minutes seemed like seconds. Everything was a flash and a blur and he did not understand it but did not want to anyway. She was the only thing that mattered to him at all right now. He wondered if they were crossing any lines right now, all his happy feelings were keeping him from reality. He was so confused about what was going on but never wanted it to end.

----

Roxana sat on her couch when Cassander barged in, looking livid. Just how it should be.

"HOW CAN YOU JUSTIFY THIS?!" He said, holding up a piece of paper.

"How can I justify what?" She asked. He shoved the piece of paper in her face. It was a bill of sale for her new dress.

"Yu spent twenty-five talents on a dress! What is the justification for it?" He fumed, cursing Ptolemy for leaving to visit his family an hour ago.

"How can you justify being born?" She asked. He made undecipherable noises, something between a choking cat and a dying elephant.

"I thought so." She said.

------------

This is was not edited :( My beta is one vacation, so I edited with my computer's grammar/spell check.

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	6. Friends are much more personal

Cassander loathed her. Roxana had grown so tyrannical over the years, trying to see how far she could push him. He always knew that is what he got for sleeping with an adolescent but honestly did she have to go out of her way to make him miserable? This stupid little party dress was the last fucking straw. He was tired with her and her games, and her sons were starting to act a little too much like dear old mum.

He looked at a statue of Alexander. He didn't know why he had it; it had just been there when he arrived sixteen years ago. He figured Olympias was just trying to be a huge creep or something. Now that she was dead (Thank the merciful Gods above) he really could do whatever he liked. Of course, he would have to let Ptolemy down easy ("She was an idiot anyway, and so was the rest of the family.") and the other generals might try something ("What happened to Macedonian superiority?") but he liked his idea.

He called for one of his guards.

"Are you any good with a sword?" He asked. The guard nodded.

"Excellent, started sharpening it now. You are going to need it in two weeks." Cassander said. He did not feel guilty at all.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Aegus stood outside by a tree, waiting for Lena to appear. It had been a week since they hooked up, and he found her intoxicating. They hadn't actually had you-know-what but he was working on that. He had been with other girls, loads of girls but he never really liked them like he liked Lena.

The pale blonde suddenly walked out of the shadows, smiling at him. He leaned forward to hug her feeling butterflies in his stomach flying marathons.

"So Lena, it's been a long time." He said with a goofy grin. She felt her stomach drop she loved that smile.

"If a week is a long time, I guess it has." She said, kissing his cheek.

"So, you know, we should start talking about being, uh, physical." He said, trying not to sound awkward. He never had to talk about sex before he had it; the girls usually knew what was coming. Lena's smile faltered a bit as he bit his lip.

"It is soon." She whispered, ruffling his hair gently. She was a virgin, and always thought she would be madly in love with the person she lost it to. She loved Aegus, most people loved Aegus, but she wasn't MADLY in love. She wasn't ready. But maybe he loved her. If he said those eight letters, she could do it. Would do it. Right here, right now.

Do you love me?" She asked in a whisper, hugging his neck, afraid if the answer was no. He was just silent, and she closed her eyes as they filled with tears. Of course that is all he wanted. She knew about the other girls, and for a few moments had been stupid enough to believe that she mattered.

"I see." She said, pulling away. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it.

"Just don't say anything. Please don't say anything to me ever again." She said, backing away before she turned and ran back to the palace.

Aegus could only stand there, speechless, his arms still held out as if he was going to hug her.

"I love you." He whispered, before beginning the long and lonely walk home.

O00o0o0o0o0o0oo0

Elsie threw up again as Lena stomped into their shared room.

"Boy trouble?" Elsie asked weakly as Lena poured herself some wine.

"You don't know the half of it." Lena muttered as she took a sip.

"Don't make yourself sick." Elsie said.

"Speak for yourself, all you do now is throw up! For two months straight!" Lena said.

"I wasn't sick two weeks after the banquet." Elsie said. That night, she hadn't come home and Bagoas threw a fit when she did come back.

"You haven't had your cycle recently." Lena said. Then, both girls froze. Lena muttered an oath while Elsie reached for the bucket, because she had to throw up again.

"Oh dear." Lena said, as someone knocked on their door.

"COME IN!" Lena yelled. Antipater walked in, looking nervous.

"My father wants to see yours." He said. He had grown to look much like his father, but kept his hair much shorter. He was built like Aegus, except he did not look quite as well proportioned and had a weird walk.

"I'll go get him." Lena smiled, as she put a lock of hair behind her ear. Antipater gulped. He had always had a thing for Lena, which was blatantly obvious at the best of times.

Her father was lying in bed when she entered his room.

"Cassander wants to see you." She said. Her father nodded and got up. Without speaking a word to anybody, he left the small quarters, following Antipater.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Roxana entered Cassander's 'lair' as she called it. It had a weird metallic smell tonight and she cursed when she stepped in something wet.

"Cassander what exactly have you been doing here? Your floor is all wet!" She said, as she bent down to look at her foot.

"It is just a little bit of blood." He said, rolling his eyes.

"A little bit of BLOOD? CASSANDER!" She exclaimed, while he glared at her.

"Now, don't you 'CASSANDER' me, I just disposed of our lovely Bagoas." He said, looking at a scroll as if it did not matter that he had just murdered a servant in his study.

"You can't just execute servants! Besides, what about those two girls he was raising?" Roxana asked, reaching for wine (which was nowhere near as stiff as she would have liked).

"They are both pretty girls, I can just marry them off or something," He said casually.

"You can't just murder someone's supposed father and getaway with that!" She raged. He blinked at her innocently.

"Well, I believe I just did." He said, "I was just wanting to see if I could still execute someone."

"Who are you going to execute?" She asked with a sigh. She and Ptolemy always had to put up with his paranoia, as though he feared Alexander or Hephaestion would come back and kicked him back where he came from- that his dead mother was guaranteed not to like.

"You and the boys." He said in a bored tone, as if he had just said something trivial about the weather or something.

"You can't do that!" She exclaimed, "Olympias will…. Will…" Roxana started, before she realized Olympias was dead.

"Ah the dear grandmother. Well she would have been a problem, but her body has been cold for sixteen joyous years. I don't think she will do anything." He said with a smug grin.

"What will Ptolemy say when he hears about this?" Roxana asked, a plan forming in her head.

"Well, it will be the day after he leaves Roxana, and I will have you monitored, so you can't tell him anything!" Cassander said, thinking he was oh so clever for just monitoring Roxana. She decided that would be his undoing.

"Well, what if I do something totally barbaric?" She asked with a grin, "What if I summon the only two people who aren't afraid of you and don't have to go anywhere?"

Cassander swallowed as he looked behind his shoulder nervously. He almost expected Alexander or Hephaestion to jump out of nowhere.

-Meanwhile-

Hephaestion threw the mirror as far as he could. Alexander gave him an angry look.

"I was WATCHING that!" Alexander said, running to get the mirror.

"I was too, until Cassander did his usual I-am-king bull shit." Hephaestion said, pulling on his sandals.

"What are you doing?" Alexander asked exasperatedly.

"I am going down there and knocking some good old fear of the dead into him." Hephaestion said. Alexander sighed.

"We both know that is unreasonable." Alexander sighed.

"UNREASONABLE? Unreasonable is standing here, doing nothing for Roxana and your two children." Hephaestion said.

"Don't worry, if you actually paid attention to anything you would know that she has a really good idea that is going to work!" Alexander said with a smug grin. He always said she was smarter then people made her out to be, including himself.

"What? When was this? What is it?" Hephaestion asked, grabbing for the mirror. Alexander held it up over his head, wagging a finger at his friend as if to scold him.

"Now Hephaestion, we have all been through this before. If you can't pay attention when something interesting happens you are going to have to watch and find out." Alexander said in a slow voice. Hephaestion glared at him.

"Give me the mirror."

"Nope."

"Alexander, be reasonable and give me the mirror!" Hephaestion demanded, reaching up for it, but Alexander managed to keep him from it.

"Not until you promise to not interrupt anymore." Alexander said.

"Fine, I promise." Hephaestion muttered, "We will have missed most of it by now."

-We now return to our regular programming-

"YOU ARE SUCH A JERK!" Roxana exclaimed as she threw a paperweight at Cassander, who barely missed.

"Please be reasonable." He said, "And while you're at that, get OUT!" He said, cowering behind his desk until he heard her leave with a slam of the door.

He slowly rose to his feet, nervous that she could still be there. He breathed a sigh of relief when she was in fact gone.

He sat back down and drank some wine. Should he be feeling bad? He would not have felt guilty about it sixteen years ago. It probably had something to do with the fact that they had slowly become 'allies' because friends are much more personal then that. Maybe she was right about all that ranting and raving and calling him a tyrant and a lunatic etcetera.

He sighed and leaned his head back on his chair. He wondered if he would actually sleep tonight.

Oo0o0o0o0o0o

Aegus and Heracles stood dutifully in their mother's chamber while she ranted about how Cassander was a jerk. Heracles felt good that she could see what he saw, and Aegus was just confused.

"Why do we care mom?" Aegus asked.

"Why do we care? He is trying to marry you both off behind my back! He knows I don't wan that for my sons, marrying young has been one of my biggest regrets in life." She said, searching her apartments.

"Are you looking for something Mother?" Heracles asked.

"I am looking for a scroll." Roxana said, just before she found one.

"You are writing a letter?" Aegus asked, wondering who it could be. His mother didn't make friends very easily.

"Ptolemy."

"You are going to see him in two weeks!" Heracles said, "Do you really need to send him a letter?"

"By then it will be too late!" She exclaimed, while her sons gave her a weird look.

"To prevent your, um, official engagements!" She said, trying to sound convincing. Under stress, she was a horrible liar.

"Engagement?" Heracles gulped, while Aegus' hands got all sweaty.

"Yes Heracles! We all knew Cassander was a rat all along." She said, muttering the last part.

"To whom?" Aegus asked.

"To whomever he likes! Now shut up so I can write this very important letter." She snapped as she wrote hastily. She sealed it, and put it down Heracles' shirt.

"Now, both of you go down there and personally give it to a messenger and escort him out of the palace. Don't ask me anything, just do as your told. Also, try not to be seen!" She said in a dangerous tone of voice.

"But mother, what about the engagements!" Heracles asked.

"That will be taken care of. Just don't have anyone on the side right now. Now you should go complete your task and go to bed." She said, going to her chambers. The half brothers sighed, and started walking down the hall to where the messengers were.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

"I will tell him in two weeks." Elsie said as she got into her bed.

"Fine, although right now would be just as good." Lena said, getting into her bed as well.

"Two weeks is good enough. So, what happened today?" Elsie asked. Lena was silent and Elsie took that as a negative.

"What did Aegus do?" Elsie said threateningly.

"He didn't do anything. It's what he didn't say!" Lena said in an annoyed voice.

"What did he not say?"

"I love you."

"Lena, it has only been a week! It is hard enough for guys to say it, let alone in the heat of the moment and you take them by surprise like that!" Elsie said.

Lena groaned and decided to change the subject.

"Where is father?" She asked.

"We all know Cassander is over-dramatic, he is probably making him late." She said.

"Fine. Goodnight Elsie." Lena said as she blew out the candle.

---

Dedicated to Elpis is this chapter :P SEE Alexander and Hephaestion know everything :)


	7. Violation Part One

Ptolemy I Soter

Where do I even begin? First of all the weather is either hot or cold, no in between. Second of all Bagoas has been executed with no warning by Cassander himself. Now, I may fear that my family is in danger. Ptolemy, for some reason, Cassander wants to kill me. He also said he would execute Heracles and Aegus. Ptolemy, I am only asking this of you because you are my friend and were close to Alexander and Hephaestion. You HAVE to help me, or else Alexander's lineage shall die with those boys.

When you come to fetch your son in two weeks, Aegus and Heracles shall escort him to where you shall meet him as originally planned. Cassander is drilling Antipater that night in politics so I can use Aetos and Ari as packhorses for them. When they meet you, explain it all to them and MAKE them come with you. Do whatever you have to do. I shall be executed the next day. I wish I could come but I am being closely guarded. Inside are two rings. One was Alexander's seal ring and the other is Hephaestion's token for Alexander. Give Heracles the seal and Aegus the token.

When they are in your care, train them yourself. Tell them of their father, Hephaestion and the other generals. Train them in the thinking of Cassander, show them how each general fought and thought. Aegus is a much better fighter and more charismatic then Heracles will ever be. Though Heracles is a strong fighter and charismatic himself, but is a much stronger strategic thinker. After you fix their faults, show them how to use this knowledge in their talents.

Heracles is easier to teach then Aegus. Heracles takes direction and is reasonable. Aegus will be opinionated and stubborn thanks to that mule Aristotle. Make him a listener and teach Heracles to stick up for himself more.

Finally, I want them to know everything we have shielded them from. Please, tell them the whole story from the day I met Alexander to now. Only tell them when they are ready to hear it, which is nowhere near this time and place. I even grant you permission to tell them that Cassander once had a soul! A real human soul.

Ptolemy, send me a letter the night you read this. And finally, thank you. You are my only real friend through out this mess Cassander has made. This is not how it should have been, and whether or not I drink from the waters of the Lethe you shall always be my friend. I will hopefully never forget you.

By the way, your son is rambling about making you marry his sister. Now, I know teenagers can be melodramatic sometimes, but this sounds crazy enough to be true and Ptolemy please don't do anything too questionable to family values.

Roxana

'The King's widow'

'Persian wench/whore'

'Ptolemy's only friend' (Sorry, I just could not resist)

Roxana

Wow. I have just read your letter, and I absolutely will take the boys with me. I doubt Cassander could kill you, but those boys would be a much different story. I would have ended up telling them anyway, and I suspect they know more then they would like to let on.

I can easily believe that Bagoas is dead, but what of Philotas' daughter and her cousin? They are of nice lineage, and as I am sure our sons can attest to, very pretty. I always thought it was weird that Cassander let them be raised like servants. I suppose he could marry them off.

I think they will need to hear the story as soon as they arrive in Alexandria, they will want answers. I will bring them back in three years. I think that is long enough for Cassander once he realizes he has to improve things for everyone in the country. I can only restore Aegus to the throne, for he is the legitimate heir.

I remember when I first met you. We all thought you were a petulant, spoiled child! What could Alexander see in you? Well, I guess he saw your strength. It was reassuring for some of us, to know you were strong in adversity when Alexander died. Cassander was very uneasy with it. I would almost say he was scared of you. Then, one day, I turn around and BOOM you two have some weird relationship. I really don't want to know the physical or emotional details, but for almost two seconds, I thought maybe you had gotten over Hephaestion and Alexander. Maybe you were forgiving yourself. Sadly, you were not and have not. Oh well.

Listen, I want you to know that those boys will survive. Look at their parents and look at the mother who raised them. There were so many oppurtunities for death or betrayal but you have guided them down the right path.

Good bye Roxana. And it is not my idea, but these Egyptians want me to keep the royal line pure! What else CAN I do?

Ptolemy

'Roxana's only friend' (you said so yourself)


	8. Violation 2 Breathing in Sequence

Elsie leaned against Heracles as she hugged him.

"Be back soon." She murmured to him, as he kissed her cheek.

"I will be. I am surprised mother is making me go to, but I will meet you in two hours." Heracles whispered as he kissed her cheek. She hugged him again before skipping off to her room. He smiled, thinking how much he loved this girl.

He turned around and headed to the courtyard, for the stable. Ptolemy II was on his horse Enora, a small gray mare. Aegus was swinging his leg over Homer as Heracles grabbed Castor.

"I am surprised mother is making us babysit you Ptol." Heracles joked.

"Ha ha besides it wasn't even my idea for you two to come along." Ptolemy II replied as he adjusted his seat.

"Yeah, mom is even making us use Ari and Aetos as packhorses. You should be grateful." Aegus said, as he reached down from his horse to take the rope to lead Aetos with just as Heracles did the same with Ari.

"Stop whining, at least you are not cooped up with Antipater while Cassander lectures him." Ptolemy said, steering his mare to the closest exit from the palace. Aegus looked back, and saw his mother in a window, looking down at them. He grinned and waved at her, and she waved back.

"Come on Mama's boy, I need to get back in two hours." Heracles said, and Aegus shifted his attention back to the older boy.

"Race you." He suggested with a small, squeezing Homer in a gallop as Aetos kept up with small strides. The two other boys laughed as they squeezed their mounts onward.

They whipped through trees and bushes as the sun set in the west. The sky was now purple and orange, as the two colors clashed beautifully. The boys slowed down, their horses wet with sweat and the boys were more the a little drowsy. They saw Ptolemy I in the distance, and walked it.

Ptolemy I broke into a smile when his son and his friends walked into his tent.

"Hello! How was Mieza?" He asked, taking a sip of wine.

"The same as always." Ptolemy II muttered as he reached for his own wine.

"I put all three of you in the same tent." Ptolemy I said, looking at a scroll. Heracles chuckled, thinking that surely the old man was losing it.

"We aren't going to Alexandria Ptolemy, I actually have to be back soon." Heracles said, chuckling.

"Nope, your mother decided that you and Aegus would be able to use some time out of court." Ptolemy said, not looking up. Heracles and Aegus' mouths had gone dry.

"She didn't say anything about that." Heracles said, looking around for an exit.

"She thought it would be a nice surprise." Ptolemy lied.

"Why wouldn't she come with us?" Aegus said, remembering how she always hated being separated from them for long.

"She just can't." Ptolemy said. Both boys' stomachs twisted at the knowledge that something was wrong, very wrong.

"No one tells her she can't do anything." Aegus said.

"Well, she can't." Ptolemy said nervously, hoping to wrap things up.

"What's going on?" Heracles asked gruffly. Ptolemy sighed, and shooed his son away. The boy considered arguing, but decided against it and left.

"Your in danger. Both of you." Ptolemy said, standing up. Both boys looked at him.

"To really understand it, you have to go back. Roxana doesn't think you are ready.." He trailed off, before swallowing some wine.

"Is mother in danger?" Aegus asked.

"Yes." Ptolemy answered.

"Then why isn't she here?" The youth yelled, terrified for his mother.

"Calm down. She isn't in as much danger as you are." Ptolemy said.

"Why are we in danger though?" Heracles asked, trying to stop the panic in his voice as he realized he wouldn't be able to see Elsie for awhile.

"Cassander was going to execute you two, and your mother." Ptolemy said quietly, watching as the blood drained from the two boys' faces.

"We have to get mother." Aegus said, turning around to leave. However, Heracles grabbed his arm and held him back.

"Let go! We need to get mother!" Aegus said, trying to hide his tears.

"You can't save her! She is being watched and as soon as dawn breaks we have to go or it will be to late to save you! You are the future of Macedonia, not me, or Heracles, or Cassander or Antipater, but YOU. Grow up Aegus, you are no boy anymore. Look in a mirror, any mirror and you shall see the broad shoulders of a man, not a boy who needs his mother." Ptolemy scolded.

"You are her best friend!" Aegus countered in anger.

"Yes, and she told me to save you two! Don't you see? You are all she has left." Ptolemy said, trying to soothe the youth.

"He is right Aegus. You are sixteen, two years from being a man. If Cassander wants power, he has to kill you before your eighteenth birthday." Heracles said. Aegus blinked back, and exited the tent to go to sleep.

Heracles looked back at Ptolemy.

"Go to sleep, tomorrow is an early day." The older pharoh said.

0000000

Roxana sat on her bed, looking through her pictures. She looked over one she had drawn of Alexander, and longed for those days to be back. She breathed in and reached for her wine. She needed to feel its' warmth right now.

"Roxana?" She heard a voice croak from the darkness.

"Who is it?" She asked in a tired voice.

"Guess."

"Who is it?" She asked impatiently, getting up and opening her door. She saw a smug looking Cassander at her door.

"Oh, it is the rat." She said, spitting out the last word.

"That is no way to talk to an authority figure." Cassander sneered as he entered her room.

"It is my right" She said as she took another sip of wine. Cassander seemed determined to turn her into an alcoholic.

"Sure, anyway, I came here to talk." Cassander said as he sat on her bed.

"About what? Whether to go blunt or sharp?" She sneered. He rolled his eyes.

"That isn't very nice."

"Not like you ever were."

"Ahh, I never said I was nice." He said, raising an eyebrow.

"No one ever thought you were." Roxana said, as she drank more wine.

"Roxana, do you really want to be drunk in my presence during your final night?" Cassander asked sarcastically.

"I am not drunk." She said defiantly.

"You will be." He said in a sing-song voice.

"Shut up." She replied, obviously vexed.

Cassander picked up the picture she had drawn of Alexander, and noted how much it looked like him. He shivered, wondering if she knew how it felt to wonder if the King's ghost was following you around. He looked up as Roxana collapsed on her bed in a drunken haze. He gave her a somewhat soft look, and got up to leave. At least now he did know that she loved Alexander.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

Elsie waited for two hours, anxious to see Heracles. Lena walked into the room and watched a tense looking Elsie.

"Are you okay?" Lena asked as she poured some wine for herself.

"I don't know, where is he?" Elsie asked.

"I am not sure, they should be back by now." Lena commented as she looked out the window, feeling worry for Aegus, despite the estranged nature of their relationship.

"I know, it's silly, they can't be in too much trouble." Elsie remarked, shaking her head.

"Yes, of course." Lena added faintly.

"I wonder where father has been?" Elsie asked, another worry settling itself into her tense mind.

"I am not sure, Cassander said he has been sent off." Lena said sadly. It was a good thing that they were unaware of the truth.

"I hope they return soon." Elsie lamented, looking back out the window.

As they looked out forlornly, Antipater walked into the room. Blushing as he saw Lena, he decided to greet them. He actually knew what was going on, Roxana had asked him to burn the letters and he took a curious peek.

"Hello." He said in a friendly manner.

"Do you know where Heracles and Aegus are?" Lena asked the boy.

"They have gone to Alexandria! Did you not know?" Antipater replied, while Lena exchanged a shocked look with Elsie, who burst into tears.

_Breathing in the same sequence_

_While trying to make sense of your situation_

_What we got ourselves in, two more weeks of one way conversation_

_'Breathing in Sequence' -Hawthorne Heights_

0o0o0o0o0o0o00o0

"That was your master plan?" Hephaestion asked, dumbfounded and angry.

"I didn't specifically know that it was THAT!" Alexander countered, equally dumbstruck.

"You should have! You know what, I AM GOING DOWN THERE!" Hephaestion shouted, reaching for his sandals once again.

"But you can't! The Gods will be angry! They were pretty pissed the last time you snuck off.." Alexander whined.

"Well we need to talk some sense into her, or preferably beat Cassander up." Hephaestion said.

"But then she won't be here with us." Alexander said with a frown.

"You want her to die just so she can be with us?" Hephaestion asked, thinking of how incredibly self-centered that was.

"Zeus said she could stay here with us." Alexander said with a smile at the thought.

"But the children.."

"They are no longer children." Alexander said.

"They need their mother!"

"No they do not!" He countered.

"Yes they do! How else will they survive?" Hephaestion said, trying to reason with the king.

"Did you pay any attention? If she leaves, Cassander will announce a war on Egypt and NEITHER NATION can afford a war."

"Can I yell at Cassander then?" Hephaestion asked.

"No, we just need to stay here and wait."

"Wait for what?"

"I don't quite know." Alexander said blankly as Hephaestion rolled his eyes.


	9. Convinced yourself well after all

**I just shook the handshake**

**I just sealed the deal**

**I'll try not to let them**

**Take everything they can steal**

**People always told me**

**Don't forget your roots**

**I know I can feel them underneath my leather boots**

Cassander hurled the scroll across the room at the poor messenger.

"Tell your moronic Pharaoh that I have no wish to ever communicate with him AGAIN!" Cassander screamed, as the poor messenger stumbled out of the room. Cassander, breathing quite hard by now, sat back down on his chair.

The purple vein in his forehead was throbbing and his face looked as if he had spent a whole day in the sun. He grabbed wine, and wondered how he wasn't an alcoholic by now. He remembered how he had wanted to be King or Regent; he had convinced himself so many times that this was what he wanted that almost believed it. He rubbed his temples in frustration. He had almost thought he wanted to marry Thessa; he had convinced himself he loved her. It was all a lie; he knew she was carrying on an affair with one of his young generals.

**You toss all the mornings lost to the clouds and you watch it go**

**Your fair weather friends on a parachute binge get lost when the wind blows**

**The handshake's stuck on the tip of my tongue**

**It tastes like death but it looks like fun**

He had also convinced himself that he hated Hephaestion more then anything. And why? As far as Cassander was concerned, Hephaestion could keep Alexander, he didn't swing that way. It was because Hephaestion didn't have to try as hard as Cassander had to. It all came oh-so fucking easily to the stupid whelp. Stupid whelp (as he deserved to be known as) was above drinking, and women and petty disagreements because he was such a nice guy. And then the whole Roxana thing started and Cassander had to pinch himself to believe that Hephaestion had given him such awesome ammunition. But then, Alexander went all un-homicidal and decided to ignore it. Ha, what a joke. NOT.

But worst of all was seeing Aegus grow up to look like Alexander and Hephaestion. He was all 'gifted' like Alexander and all 'agreeable' like Hephaestion. Of course the Gods would punish Cassander this way. Force him to watch mistakes repeat themselves, over and over.

Which reminded him of his slowly crumbling marriage to Thessa. They had only had one child, a son named Antipater, now seventeen. It seemed fertility trouble plagued Alexander and his siblings. Anyway, now Cassander was left with a bitter and distant wife, who looked across at him with a cold set of eyes. She did not love him either. He also liked to think that she didn't notice when he pulled out, that she didn't know that any more children from her would mean nothing to him, but of course she probably did know.

Then there was Philotas' daughter Elsie and his niece Lena. Elsie had a year old son named Troy, who was obviously Heracles' son. Figured Heracles wouldn't take his advice and drop the girl as soon as he could. Then there was Lena, who clearly had Antipater and Aegus both enraptured, seeing as how he had to constantly remind Egyptian messengers to stay away and the letters he took from them and read. It was ridiculous, Aegus asking for Lena's forgiveness, that he loved her, yada yada yada. If only he could see what his beloved was doing right now.

I** was a loner**

**I was just waiting by myself**

**When you, warped temptress**

**Rose to bring me happiness and wealth**

**Black tears, black smile, black credit cards and shoes**

**You can call all the people you want**

**But it's you who's being used**

Cassander drank some more wine and then pondered Roxana. He didn't love her, he never had. He had executed her a few months back. He still felt her blood on his hands and he could swear that he heard her voice when all was quiet. He had been trying to wash her blood from his hands for a while like it was tattooed onto his skin or something.

He had convinced everyone for so long that this was the life that he wanted, that he almost believed it himself.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Lena kissed Antipater and pushed him to the wall. This was the perfect distraction. She had convinced herself that she loved him (but not really). She had good intentions (but not for his heart). Even though his brown eyes made her melt and his wavy brown hair was perfect for running fingers through, she didn't love him. He thought it was love. But it really wasn't, it was convincing herself that this was what she wanted.

They paused to catch their breaths, and then went right back on with it. She moved with him as he went to open the door to his chamber. When they were finally in she pushed him to the bed and pushed him down, hoping this was how she was supposed to do it. She started pulling at his chitin, wanting it off. He couldn't be close enough until she was feeling his heart beat.

It almost sickened her that she was to take his virtue the way Aegus had tried with her. But she returned her attention back to the present; she didn't allow herself to think of Aegus anymore. She tore of the chitin and smiled when she felt Antipater's warm palms running up her sides. He flipped them over, so that he was on top. She smiled into his adoring eyes, but on the inside wanted to cry.

**Under your black eyes, honey**

**Right beneath your nose**

**A curse on all creation**

**Every single thing you know**

**White smoke, white light, white marble on the floor**

**It would only take a few seconds of darkness to figure out what's in store**

**Little girl**

"Are you sure?" He asked in his gruff voice. She nodded and tried to not think of the bleeding her heart was doing right now.

"I love you, and I can only do this under one condition." He was, smiling mischievously.

"And what is that condition?" She asked with a demure smile, wishing he would shut up and get her dress off already.

"Do you love me?" He asked.

"I love you." She said, marveling at how convincing she sounded.

"Will you marry me?" He asked. She felt hot tears in her eyes and nodded her head with fake enthusiasm. He didn't know the difference. They started kissing again, as Lena felt like she was lying there dying.

0o0oo0o0o

Lena sat up as Antipater lay beside her asleep. She hoped she could teach herself to love him. That maybe this is how it needed to be. She hoped that if he found out how she really felt that he would forgive her. She looked down at her hands, which she felt should covered with blood. Blood from taking Antipater's heart and throwing it away. She got up and splashed water upon her face, hoping it would ease her fears. But it didn't, it never did. She breathed in, almost wishing that Aegus would walk in and steal her way. Though she couldn't now, she had made a promise. She had to keep it; she owed Antipater too much to simply destroy him. She could never do that to him.

She would spend the rest of her life convincing her self that this what she wanted. She wanted to be the wife of a high-ranking member in society, live in big house and bear privileged children for him. She was sure he wouldn't cheat on her, but if he did she would ignore it. She had cheated on him mentally already; he might as well get even in this life.

**You convinced yourself that you want it, but you don't know**

**You keep trying to wash the blood from your hands, but it won't go**

**We're gonna keep you on the run**

**We got the handshake under our tongue**

**'The Handshake'- MGMT**

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* * *

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Yes it's a songfic :) My birthday is tomorrow, I can do what I want :) Also, i hope to start making trailers for my stories, but the newer generation will be clips from the OC and gossip girl :( Sorryyyy

So anyways, leave reviews have fun reading :) Enjoy :)


	10. The Abyss

Aegus' breathing was deep and uneven as he approached his old home in Pella. His horse pranced on the spot, anxious to return as well. He looked to his left and saw his dear friend Ptolemy II who had grown from gangly teen to strong young man, tanned muscles and curly hair, though he did not have his father's beak nose. Both men had wanted to return for such a long time that it seemed like this day would never be born. It had been three years since they had escaped a grisly fate at the hands of Cassander, whose own son Antipater had been a great friend of theirs. And of course there was the beautiful Lena with stick straight blonde hair and faintly tanned skin.

Aegus looked to his right and saw his equally excited older brother (well, half-brother) practically jumping out of his saddle. The man was excited to see Elsie, and explain everything to her and why he wasn't there. Ahead of them was Ptolemy I, friend of Alexander, Hephaestion and Roxana, the last of the great love triangles. Aegus was also desperate to make sure his mother was safe, for she had sacrificed her safety so that he and Heracles could escape and thus protect their lineage.

Ptolemy had a defeated look in his eyes, seeing as how he would either have to imprison or kill Cassander who was his former friend. The once bulging muscles of a cavalry man were now going slightly soft and Ptolemy had to check in a mirror every once and a while to make sure he was not some old man yet. His youth had long faded from his character and could only be returned by the strongest wine. He had turned to the very thing that had claimed most of his old friends and companions, but only because it returned the lost ideals of youth to him.

His face and body were growing weaker and he had stopped fighting it long ago. He hadn't slept in what felt like years. He sometimes cried, or he read the Iliad for comfort. No one noticed his erratic behavior. But that did not matter to him as he stopped the boys.

"I have to tell you something," he said, swinging off his horse. The boys obeyed him and dismounted.

"What is it?" Aegus asked.

"I need to tell you everything," Ptolemy said.

"Okay then. Out with it," Heracles said.

"Your mother wanted me to give you these rings. They were your father's," Ptolemy said, giving Aegus the bloodstone and Heracles the seal. Aegus had seen these rings before; his mother had worn them on a chain around her neck. Aegus swallowed, and decided he didn't want to hear the story.

"Alexander loved Roxana," Ptolemy began, hoping he wasn't about to destroy the foundations of everything they believed in.

"But not enough," Aegus said faintly, realizing what this story was; the truth.

"He had his reasons," Ptolemy said to the young man, but the young man had mounted his horse.

"I don't want to hear it, now or ever. C'mon, I have people to see," Aegus said, squeezing his horse into a trot. The three other men remounted and followed him.

Truth be told, Ptolemy was glad that Aegus didn't want to hear it, for Ptolemy had no wish to speak it. The real story without the meaningless 'glory' and the broken dreams and men left in its wake. He did not wish to tell Aegus that there was a more than likely possibility that he was not the son of Alexander or that his parents' love was often poisoned with hate and jealousy. He could not tell Aegus that his father had tried to kill his mother or that he knew that the only way Alexander ever slept after Hephaestion's death was with all that wine under his bed.

No one could save Alexander from himself. Ptolemy had hated to watch his friend waste away and he hated to watch Roxana follow him, and he especially hated how Cassander took advantage of all of that and the Gods be damned he hated himself for letting it all happen. Now Ptolemy was the one who needed the alcohol, he was the one who needed the narcotics the Egyptians had freely available. He wondered if Cassander or Roxana (if she was still alive) needed those comforts.

Aegus sat in his saddle, looking straight ahead and hoping he would see Pella soon. They entered the city, disguised as travelers from Athens. They made their way to the palace, and Aegus' throat tightened. This was his home, then and now and forever.

He followed Ptolemy to the palace, and breathed when they entered. They put their horses in the stable, and went to Cassander's chambers. They rushed through the hallways and corridors as their childhood memories flooded them.

0o0o0o0o0o

Elsie was trying to keep Troy in line, which as definitely not working.

"It is late Troy, you have to go to sleep!" Elsie said, rocking the boy on her lap. The three year old whimpered, and leaned against her. She wrapped her arms tight around him and stroked his hair. She tried not to think of his father anymore, for the feelings brought up sounded like a knife twisting through her gut. She heard rustles in the hall. Her curiosity was aroused when she heard a voice that sounded an awful lot like Aegus'.

She carried the sleepy child on her hip and went to peer out her door. She opened the door, and saw Aegus, who was accompanied by Ptolemy the I, and II and Heracles. Her mouth formed an 'O' shape. The men looked back, and Heracles face burst into a smile.

"Elsie," he He managed to say, before walking up and wrapping his arms around her, not even noticing Troy. Elsie found it impossible to move or to breathe and could only push him away and lock herself back inside her room, where she could be safe from the shock.

Heracles stood outside, shocked she didn't say anything. And who exactly was that kid? If Cassander had touched her, he was a dead man.

"Heracles, you can deal with her later," Ptolemy said in a commanding voice, left over from his days in the cavalry.

"Okay," he said weakly, as he turned back and rejoined his group. They walked up the ornate halls, with paintings and busts of Alexander wherever they turned. It made sense that even as he was to ascend the throne that Aegus could not escape his father.

0o0o0o0o

Roxana had been stubborn for months about coming to Elysium. She had tried to avoid it; she had nothing to say to anyone there. She felt pretty screwed over by the two men she was to join. She looked across the field to where she knew they were sitting and watching her. She wondered when they were going to finally speak to her, but it looked like they were smart enough to leave her for a while.

She stood up, and walked across the field. Alexander's blond hair was short (finally) and he looked healthy again and not like the wasted youth he really had been. He looked nervous, as he deserved to be. Their last meeting had not been very pleasant for either of them. Hephaestion sat beside Alexander, smiling at her. He wasn't very nervous because he knew he hadn't done anything wrong to either of them.

When she was there, the three of them just looked at each other. Hephaestion nodded his head, and got up to walk away.

"I think I should leave," Hephaestion said, as he was about to walk away. Roxana grabbed the collar of his chitin.

"Not so fast," she said, her teeth clenched. Hephaestion looked at her, then sat back down.

"Now, why exactly am I here?" she demanded. Alexander decided he then knew why Hades had warned him.

"Well, I figured you would want to catch up," Alexander said, feeling intimidated by her.

"Catch up on how you nearly choked me to death while I was pregnant?" she said.

"One would call this situation ironic. Now, I am REALLY hungry and…" Hephaestion started, but both Roxana and Alexander gave him an unappreciative glare and he sat back down, defeated.

"How are the boys?" Roxana said, as Alexander held up the mirror, which was vibrating.

"I don't know, something new has happened, that is for sure," he said, looking into it. His eyes widened when he saw Aegus storming through the corridors of Pella.

"What is it?" Roxana demanded, lunging for the mirror just in time to see Ptolemy enter Cassander's chambers.

"What's going on?" Hephaestion asked, feeling left out of the scandal. He got his answer when the faces of Roxana and Alexander went from shock to anger. Alexander clenched his fist and Roxana looked like she was going to wring someone's neck. Hephaestion stood up, and put his hands out in front of him.

"Now, before we do something everyone will regret, let's talk about it first," Hephaestion suggested and was ignored.

"If he touches Aegus I will kill him," Roxana growled.

"No Roxana, if he so much as harms a hair on either of the boys' heads he WILL be killed by me," Alexander said as they walked to the exit.

"Okay, we don't really want to do this!" Hephaestion exclaimed.

He was ignored.

O0o0o0o0o0o

Aegus stormed into the bedchamber. Cassander looked up, disoriented and pissed that he had been woken up.

"What is going on?" he asked, sitting up.

"We are here to put Aegus on the throne," Ptolemy said authoritively. Cassander stifled a laugh; he wasn't scared of anyone in this room.

"Aha why hello great Pharaoh, you have indeed gotten funnier over these past years," Cassander said as he drank some of the wine he kept by his bedside.

"I am not joking," Ptolemy said as the three other men sat down.

"We all know Aegus doesn't have it in him," Cassander said, gesturing to the man sitting across from him.

"It does not matter, the throne is rightfully his." his," Ptolemy said impatiently.

"Now, that point can be argued and you know it. And seeing as how the other option is illegitimate I suggest you realize how idiotic you are for suggesting he can be a King." Cassander said, clearly amused. This was all a joke to him and it was clear to everyone in the room.

"How is Roxana?" Ptolemy asked, hoping she was alive. He was gripping onto that hope, that she would come out and ask him what the hell he was doing here so early.

"How do you think?" Cassander asked in a poisonous tone. Aegus immediately knew what that meant.

He leaped onto Cassander, ready to kill him there.

"How dare you?!" The man screamed as he punched Cassander. Cassander pushed him off, his experience saving his neck (once again).

"Get off of me and if you dare do that again I WILL kill you," Cassander threatened. Ptolemy looked at Cassander with a hollow stare. It felt like Cassander had stabbed him in the gut.

He really had killed the last one. Cassander had murdered Roxana, and Ptolemy could only imagine her death. It could have been brutal, with blood and there would have been no way for her to survive an attack from Cassander. She wouldn't have had anyone to defend her, seeing as how all of her allies were dead or retired in Athens or in the city. Ptolemy winced as he thought of her screams for help going unanswered.

"How could you do it?" he asked, looking into Cassander's once gentle face, hardened by the horrors of war and time.

"I didn't love her, remember?" Cassander said, bitterly. His eyes flashed and Ptolemy saw the monster and then the scared boy. Ptolemy wondered if all of the companions had that in them, the warrior, the ruler, the monster and the frightened boy. Ever since Roxana had compared him and the other generals to monsters, it had perturbed him for awhile. He couldn't understand who or what she saw then, but now he did.

"She was with you?" Aegus asked, as tears stung his cerulean eyes. He thought the idea disgusting, how could she sleep with Cassander who was one of the most disgusting people he had ever known as of now. Heracles bowed his head, knowing this day would come and know it had and he felt no different from how Aegus did. Shocked, confused and betrayed. Cassander had once been an excellent father figure and was now simply a figurehead for lies, betrayal and hate.

"One thing you need to learn right now, is that I was never nice and yes, I did use your mother. Every king has done that, what do you think your father put your mothers through? You thought he truly loved them? HAH. He used them or their wombs and political ties, though Roxana's were pretty flimsy," Cassander explained harshly as Heracles and Aegus gave him equal looks of hatred.

"I am going to kill you in five seconds," Heracles said, reaching for his sword.

"Get them out!" Ptolemy told his son as he stepped between the opposing sides.

"Get out, the three of you. Find that Lena or Elsie or Antipater and leave me to deal with Cassander. Leave, right now," Ptolemy demanded. The three boys left, and they each gave Cassander a dirty look.

Ptolemy turned to Cassander when they left, and gave him a look of disgust.

"Where did you go wrong?" Ptolemy demanded, "You were married to a beautiful woman, you had a pretty mistress you were regent of Macedonia and you were a father to the loneliest boys in the world! They looked up to you and then you tore them down and you killed their mother. Does that mean anything to you?" Ptolemy asked, hoping the human in Cassander would step out.

"It means everything to me. They meant everything to me," Cassander said, his eyes being stung by tears. He had watched his dream fall apart and had aided its destruction. He felt sick.

"Those boys and Antipater are all I can give the world to atone for my sins. Why would they not mean everything to me?"

"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster and if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you"- Mark Twain


	11. Reunion

Heracles felt his heart beating a hole through his chest as he left the room, wishing he had helped Aegus kill Cassander then and there. After they had left the room, Aegus and Ptolemy II went to find Antipater, leaving Heracles to find Elsie. He remembered her room, for it had been a guest chamber of sorts. He wondered who that little boy had been, but Thessa was beyond a childbearing age and Cassander wasn't particularly generous to anyone without a noble lineage.

Heracles' stomach twisted in revolt as he thought of how he would react if the boy was Cassander's. He hoped he wouldn't scream, or stomp his feet or look like an immature boy at all. He was at the door in minutes and he knocked cautiously.

"Hello?" she asked as she opened the door. Heracles looked at her and immediately remembered why he had resisted the Egyptian consorts he was offered. Elsie's copper hair still shone and her warm brown eyes made his legs feel like buckling underneath him.

"Hello," whispered Heracles, who wasn't in a speaking mood.

" **You're** **back," she ** stated in a quieter whisper. She had wanted this for years and now it was happening**, **and she didn't know what to say.

"I am aware of that." He grinned, happy that she wasn't ignoring him.

"I didn't think you would ever be **back," she ** replied, feeling lightheaded from alack of sleep. To call Troy hyper would be a gross understatement.

"Why wouldn't I come back?" he asked with amusement, and she felt her mouth curve into a smile.

"So, what has happened these past years?" Heracles asked as he walked into her chambers. Elsie closed the door behind him. He looked around the cream colored room and admired the artwork on her walls. Some of it was familiar, actually. **The** bedroom should be to the door on the left, and was that a picture of Hephaestion and Alexander on her wall?

He swallowed when he realized where he was.

"This was Roxana's **room," **Heracles breathed as he walked over to the window, which he knew looked out onto the gardens.

"I know. Cassander gave it to me after I gave birth to Troy." Elsie looked out the window as well.

"Troy? That is the boy's name?" he asked, putting the painful pieces together. Of course Cassander took advantage of her, it is what he does best.

"His Grandfather loved tales of Troy and so does he. He likes the tale of the Trojan Horse the **best,"** Elsie said with a small smile, and Heracles noticed the freckles that dusted her nose.

"Who is his father?" Heracles asked, steeling himself for the inevitable.

"You are." She turned and faced him.

"I am his father?" he asked in a shocked voice, and immediately enveloped her in a hug. He buried his face in her neck, and inhaled the smell he loved the most.

"I left you alone and pregnant?" he asked, needing to confirm his cruelty.

"Well, you didn't mean **to," she** replied with a smile. He smiled a little too.

"You could have tried to tell **me," **Heracles pointed out to her.

"Cassander got really paranoid about Egyptians after you ran **away,"** Elsie informed him. He nodded his head.

They sat down in silence for a while, until Heracles started talking.

"If Troy was Cassander's, I would have killed **him,"** Heracles said. Elsie rolled her eyes.

"Please, don't talk like the **Regent," she **said, closing her eyes.

"Cassander said that?" Heracles asked, his curiosity roused from its long slumber.

"Yes, whenever a new child was born. He doesn't want more kids, he already has an **heir," **Elsie said, playing with a lock of her hair.

"Speaking of his heir, what is going on with Antipater?" asked Heracles.

"He is engaged to Lena, **and has definitely grown up**. Spitting image of his father, except he has his uncle's square **jaw. He ** is very handsome**, **Lena really cares about him."

"I knew he was going to be one to **watch," **Heracles said bitterly, trying to picture the youngest of his three friends.

"I guess it is just because he has come out of Aegus' **shadow," **Elsie suggested.

"I think we all have grown now that he is not as prominent as he was in **court,"** Heracles said reaching for wine.

"Anyone can grow up once Aegus and Cassander are **separated,"** Elsie remarked.

"I am sometimes scared of being like **Cassander," **Heracles said.

"How would you ever become him?" asked Elsie, looking Heracles in the eye.

"Not be him, but like **him," **Heracles said, feeling ashamed.

"If you were like him, you would be king and Aegus would be **buried,"** Elsie said, reaching out to hug Heracles.

Heracles had curled up now, as tears wet his eyes. For the past three years, Ptolemy had given him sad looks, and Heracles knew whom he saw. He had grown his sand colored hair out and it had become wavy like Cassander's. Heracles had deep brown eyes and a tanned complexion. He was also built the same, and had an oval face. He wondered how often Ptolemy agonized over Heracles and who he would be. It also probably didn't help that Heracles was a brilliant strategist with a knack for manipulation. He had gotten the skill when the three younger boys were small and he needed them to behave. He always felt that Roxana was proud of the skill, but he knew how Ptolemy felt about it.

Elsie's held him close to her, and kissed his forehead. He was never going to be Cassander in her eyes. He would never murder for power or wage wars on his allies. He helped so many people out, more then Cassander could ever stand to be nice to.

"You will never be Cassander, not in a million years or **more," she **She said fiercely, holding him tight. He buried his head in her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her. He knew her words to be true and besides, she would never let him become Cassander.

"I have something to tell **you," she **whispered. He nodded his head for her to continue.

"We can get married. My father was Philotas**, **but I was ashamed and I **thought** you would hate me and Gods why am I talking so fast and…" she was going to continue, but Heracles cut her off.

"I will never hate you, I will never leave you again and I will marry **you," he** said kissing her. She smiled and kissed back, thinking of how long she had been waiting for him to say those few words.


	12. Je suis retard avec l'histoire :

Hey guys! I am so sorry chapter 12 is not up yet, it's just that high school isn't being very nice to me right now A straight A average is hard to keep up you know…

BUT to make up for my sins, I have thrown together a trailer of my series. Of course, it is to the song that inspired the second one :D So, here is the link, comment on youtube or on this chapter and tell me what you think of it, because this is by no means finished and I had to use clips from teen dramas to substitute for our youth in the series.

I eould love your input or suggestions on the video, or if I am missing someone you care about haha

I will hope to finish it by the holidays :S

Keep writing and smiling, kfb28

.com/watch?v=Wv6hw8XXlos


	13. Be a man, not a monster

Ptolemy sat own on a chair as Cassander gave him a dirty look.

"How are you?" asked Ptolemy, who was at a loss for words right now.

"Do I look very good to you?" shot back Cassander rhetorically.

"No, you do not," Ptolemy answered glumly, rubbing his temples. Cassander impulsively grabbed his wineskin.

"Want some?" he offered. Ptolemy almost shook his head until he remembered why he was here. Then he shook his head with vigor.

"So, what is new in Egypt?" asked Cassander.

"Pretty good, except for this whole brother/sister marriage business."

"No!" was all the shocked Cassander could choke out before he started to laugh.

"It's not funny if you have to deal with it!" exclaimed Ptolemy, trying to contain his laughter. By Zeus, it felt good to laugh again over stupid shit you had no control over.

"I guess you're right, although now that you mention marriage, my wife is sleeping with a general and my son is marrying that Lena girl," Cassander informed Ptolemy as he reached for a scroll.

"Never saw that coming," replied Ptolemy while he took a sip from his bowl. Cassander was still reaching for the scroll and let out a grunt of frustration.

"Yeah, well, things change, people change, and love always remains," Cassander answered before Ptolemy gave him a strange look.

"You believe in love? Since when?" asked the curious Pharaoh.

"I always believed that love drives us to do what we do, a love for something." Cassander grabbed the scroll and sat back down on his bed.

"When did you form this theory?" asked Ptolemy as Cassander opened the scroll.

"Observation, why else did Alexander drag us across continents not even the Gods know of?" asked Cassander as he studies the scroll. Roxana had written it for Alexander a long time ago. Ptolemy raised an eyebrow incredulously.

"Why else would an adulteress be alive while a mistress be dead? Roxana had no alliance to any live man and you know it. Thessa is married to you, yet you never get mad when she is cold. I am close to believing that maybe you killed Roxana to see if Thessa would love you again," Ptolemy replied with a bemused smile. Cassander looked uncertain for two seconds before breaking the silence.

"Yeah, well, that was then, past is the past, this is now, so here is to the future!" Cassander exclaimed as he chugged a large sip of his wine. Ptolemy laughed, appreciating his friend's company.

"What do you think Roxana would be doing?" asked Ptolemy.

"She would be dragging you to bed, or laughing her ass off," Cassander laughed, while Ptolemy grinned. Roxana had a way of forcing people to do what she wanted, in the end.

"Or she would be getting messed up with us!" exclaimed Ptolemy, roaring with laughter at shady memories, half-truths and broken dreams of the long forgotten nights. It was pretty amusing.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Lena never slept at night. She was sitting on the steps of the palace, looking up at the big, bold moon. How had she gotten here? She felt so lost all the time. She really shouldn't. She had just insured her whole future, but it never seemed to fit with what she had expected. Poor Antipater condemned to be like his father. She picked up a pebble and threw it across the courtyard. It made it halfway, the chilly night air seemingly stopping it in its tracks. Lena heard footsteps and turned to see a man walking towards her.

"Aegus?" asked Lena, clearly confused.

"Lena?" asked Aegus back in a happy whisper.

"What's up?" he asked, sitting down beside her on the steps.

"What are you doing here?" asked Lena, looking back out at the courtyard as Aegus studied her. She felt coarse beside him, who wore fine armor and a chitin whilst she wore a nightdress. His faced seemed even more refined then what she remembered it to be. It really did not help that his Persian descent made him more handsome than any Greek; than any Antipater.

"Any news I should be aware of?" asked Aegus, sensing something was wrong.

"Yes. I am engaged," she said as his face became stony with disbelief.

"To who?" He hoped her statement turned out to be as untrue.

"Antipater." Her one word reply shook Aegus up. He nodded his head slowly and turned to look at her.

"Lena, if you had a choice, who would choose?" wondered Aegus aloud.

"Why are you asking me this?" asked Lena, who was scared to know the answer.

"Why not?" he retorted.

"Because it was one week of our youth ad frankly one week means nothing in the long run." Lena stood up, trying to not imagine Aegus saying those three special words.

"It matters because I love you!" Aegus exclaimed, standing up abrupt fully.

"You're not allowed to say that!" she shouted back, "Take it back now!"

"Why bloody well should I?" asked Aegus.

"Because I am over you," she replied icily.

"If you were over me you wouldn't be mad," he replied swiftly.

"You don't understand!"

"Then enlighten me," he replied sarcastically.

"Yesterday, you were nothing but a series of blurs and scents and words that never mattered! You left, and you lost your chance," she tried to stifle her tears. He looked at her sympathetically.

"But it doesn't have to be this way."

"It does. I will not break Antipater like you broke me. He put me back together in a way. I owe him so much. No. I could never love you," she stated, brushing non-existent tears from her cheeks. The courtyard was still and silent.

"We could be everything."

"No. We are nothing."

"We were never nothing," Aegus said, just before the world changed forever in the span of a few seconds.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Cassander was feeling tipsy, like the world had accelerated but he was stuck in slow motion. He looked out at his balcony, which overlooked the courtyard. The Gods had illuminated the night with stars. He and Ptolemy had spent the last two hours laughing while reminiscing on worthless memories. As he was watching the stars, he heard a crack. And another, and then another. He turned around, and was faced with the last three people he ever wanted to see. Needless to say, the blood drained from his face.

"Hello," Roxana hissed in Persian as Alexander and Hephaestion stood on either side of her. Ptolemy was sleeping on the couch.

"What are you doing here?" inquired a nervous Cassander.

"No 'How are you?'" asked Hephaestion innocently.

"Well I figured I would let you ask first." Cassander sat down, facing the three spirits.

"Why are you even here?" asked the confused man.

"I wanted to make one thing very clear to you. Well Alexander and I both did. Hephaestion came along for the ride," Roxana stated bitterly.

"And for our cook's delicious food." Hephaestion grinned as he reached for some bread. Roxana and Alexander shot him an unappreciative look.

"Fine, hurry up and get it over with." Cassander stood back up. Roxana practically spat venom at him. She immediately got right into his face as soon as she could.

"If you so much as tough Aegus or Heracles I will haunt you. No, I will kill you. Actually I shall set the Furies on you and beg them to disembowel you and spread your innards from Pella to Athens, you self-righteous, egotistical bastard!" Roxana screamed, pushing Cassander back towards the balcony. Ptolemy woke up, and looked around.

"Well, at least I didn't sleep with her," he shrugged.

"Well, I don't think she counted on sleeping with Cassander," Hephaestion added as Alexander left to join the argument.

"Does it look like I can?" asked Cassander, wringing his hands in the air.

"You had better not," Alexander threatened in a harsh whisper as Roxana stepped out of his way.

"Like I said, does it really look like I can do anything?" asked Cassander. Lena and Aegus looked up when they heard Cassander and stopped shouting. They heard and saw no one else but him, and were worried. Roxana looked down on her fair son as he called out to Cassander.

"Cassander, what are you doing?" asked Aegus.

"Nothing boy," he muttered as Roxana stared at her beautiful son, who was destined for greatness.

He was the lone star in her eternal life of darkness. Seized with an uncontrollable impulse, she stepped in front of Alexander ad looked Cassander in the eye.

"I am going to end this, all of this now," she spat as Ptolemy and Hephaestion came outside.

"How? By killing me? Ha, I won't give you the honor!" Cassander stood on the balcony's stone railing, an inch from the edge. Now Aegus and Lena were very alarmed and started shouting.

"Cassander? STOP!" Aegus yelled as he realized what his only father figure was about to do.

Ptolemy and Hephaestion stared at each other while Roxana and Alexander dared him to jump with their gazes. Cassander waved and stepped off.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"No!" shouted Aegus as he ran to Cassander's side. The three spirits disappeared, and Ptolemy looked over the balcony, his face pale. Lena screamed, bringing Elsie to the courtyard, followed by Antipater, Heracles and Ptolemy II who were drawing their swords.

Aegus knelt by Cassander.

"Why did you do that?" asked the youth, grabbing Cassander's hand.

"Listen boy," wheezed Cassander, as Lena buried her face in Antipater's chest.

"What is it?"

"Be a man, not a monster like us," Cassander choked out, calmed as he heard his heart beat slow down.

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Aegus as Antipater hurried over to his father in tears.

"What possessed you? What will become of mother and Lena and I? Did you not think of us?" lamented the boy.

"I was possessed by freedom. Power is not all it is cracked up to be." Cassander let out his last breath moments later.

Wails erupted when Thessa found out, even though she thought she had stopped loving him years ago. Ptolemy was tearing apart Cassander's bed chamber, looking for the vile. He drank it, knowing that he had to follow all of them into the dark.

Author's note:

Okay, so next chapter is the last :( Wow, time sure has flown by!

Secondly, the youtube channel for trailers for my stories is .com/user/TheKfb28

Thirdly, read and review!

Keep writing and smiling, kfb28


	14. The Pursuit of Happiness

Aegus rubbed his throbbing temples, though the exercise failed to reap a soothing effect. They were considering a campaign to reunite the divided empire of Aegus' father. All the men had accomplished so far was giving Aegus a drinking problem.

"You are twenty-two Aegus, you should be here building up an army because I don't like the beady eyed looks the Seucleucid Empire has been giving us. We have a young king again, we need to be careful." Heracles stated. His wife had recently given birth to their second child, a boy named Hector.

"Or maybe you just want to stay here with your young family?" Antipater stated in a pretend question, to which Heracles gave him an annoyed look.

"At least I can produce a healthy child." Heracles had taken a low blow, but the whole court knew that Lena had miscarried every child that she had conceived by Antipater.

"Men, shut your mouths. We need to focus on our Western campaign, not sit here and gossip like women." Aegus reminded the two men before a fight broke out.

"You need to stay behind and get your wife pregnant Aegus. " Heracles said, as Antipater nodded in agreement. Dysthe was a beautiful Grecian woman, with long, thick and dark locks and big green eyes. She was the perfect match for Aegus, a medium height, cerulean eyed man with olive skin and dark curls. Heracles nor Antipater could understand why Aegus hadn't touched her in the last month, but then again, they never understood him well at all.

"I have an heir, a boy who is still breathing may I remind you." Aegus shot back.

"Our Western Campaign would take us into Rome and then the rest of Europe! Do you really think we will let you go without a decent army or a viable heir to the throne? " fumed Heracles.

"I do have a viable heir." Aegus maintained his stubborn reply.

"Whose prognosis in terms of health is guarded at best!" Heracles was extremely upset now and Antipater knit his brows in concentration.

"So? He is still my son." Aegus stood up from his chair in defiance.

Aye, but it is still an unhealthy son." Antipater interjected quietly.

"What is this anyway? A fucking inquisition? We need a major victory for our army." Aegus argued.

"What we need is an army and for you to have a healthy heir!" Heracles restated in a stubborn tone. As the tactician of the group, he knew it was stupid to invade without a decent army and no heir left at home.

"I don't understand your problem with having sex with Dsythe! She s beautiful, twenty two, and is your queen. You are twenty two and how can you NOT want to rip her clothes off?" Antipater was simply trying to drive the point home for Aegus. Aegus got up, and went right in front of Antipater.

"Great. Why don't you marry her too?" he asked rhetorically before he stormed out.

"Aegus!" Heracles called, just as Aegus slammed the door shut

0o0o0o0o

Lena held baby Hector in her arms and cooed at the little boy. He was bound to grow up to be like his grandfathers. Big and strong, with a cutthroat attitude to back it all up. She wondered f she was going to give birth to a boy, or if it would be a girl. She knew she was expecting again, but had chosen to keep it hush for awhile, from everyone. Maybe even until the baby was born.

Maybe until she didn't feel like a horrible person when she looked into Aegus' eyes and saw nothing.

0o0o0o0o0

Roxana stuck her lip out as Ptolemy went on to beat her at another bet.

"I told you Heracles would produce sons!" Ptolemy smiled as he chugged from her wineskin.

"It's no fair, you're just really smart." She crossed her arms and glared at Cassander because everything is always somehow his fault. Everything.

"This is somehow your doing Cassander." Roxana gave him a suspicious glare as Cassander looked up innocently.

"What? That Aegus' heir is terminally ill and that he has no desire to touch his Argive princess? For all I know it's your fault that Lena keeps miscarrying!" Cassander replied in his normal sarcastic tone.

"Has anyone ever told you two how annoying your bickering gets?" asked Hephaestion, as he was reading The Odyssey underneath a big leafy tree.

"Well, has anyone ever mentioned to you that you shouldn't be such a whore?" retorted Cassander. Ptolemy shook his head while Roxana looked like she was going to deck Cassander.

"Listen, Lena is pregnant, Dsythe wil get pregnant, no one has been decapitated, mutilated, mummified or eaten so I would say it is all good, wouldn't you?" asked Ptolemy, as he ate an apple.

"Well what about this whole 'Let's go West' business? The boy might as well be signing the death warrants for the men in that army." Cassander looked down into the pool. Roxana surprisingly nodded her head in agreement with him.

"The only men with proper training are too old to be of much use, and the younger men lack the skills needed to win." Ptolemy dropped his head, praying to Zeus that someone stop Aegus. Like how someone should have stopped his father.

"I'm on the pursuit of happiness and I know everything that shine ain't always gonna be gold  
I'll be fine once I get it, I'll be good."- Pursuit of Happiness- Kid Cudi

0o0o0oo0o0o

A/N: YES! I FINISHED! -jumps around like a fool-

So I hope you enjoyed it :) reviews are love

link for Alexander video on my youtube : .com/watch?v=vfax3gOqr74

Keep writing and smiling :)


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